
1 




Class "P Z 

Book_J?-3-^ 

Cniyrighl F Mr 

CDjPXBiGHT Deposit. 


1^'. i ^ 



I 

i 



‘i 

ni 

■i 

! 


( 













i/ S / 


MRS. WIGGS 

OF THE CABBAGE PATCH 


/S. 7 



MRS. WIGGS 

OF THE CABBAGE PATCH 


BY 

ALICE HEGAN RICE 



NEW YORK : THE CENTURY CO. 


M CM III 


THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS. 

Two Copies Received 

OCT 17 I903 

Cepytight Entry 

/ -7 - / ^ 3 

CLASS SL XXo. No. 

‘^ / 3 5 " 4 

' gpjjji: J 



Copyright, 1901, 1903, by 
The Century Co. 


The Devine Press 


THIS LITTLE STORY IS 
LOVINGLY DEDICATED 
TO MY MOTHER, WHO 
FOR YEARS HAS BEEN 
THE GOOD ANGEL OF 
“THE CABBAGE PATCH” 


4 


( CONTENTS 

CHAPTER PAGE 

I Mrs« Wiggs^s Philosophy . . 3 

II Ways and Means 24 

III The Christmas Lady^^ ... 44 

IV The Annexation of Cuby . . 63 

V A Reminiscence 78 

VI A Theater Party 99 

VII ** Mr. Bob^^ 123 

VIII Mrs. Wiggs at Home .... 143 

IX How Spring Came to the 

Cabbage Patch 164 

X Australians Mishap i84 

XI The Benefit Dance ..... 201 

vii 


LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


If you don^t hush this minute, I U1 spank 

your doll ! ” Frontispiece 

She pinned the bed-clothes around the chil- 
dren ♦ , . . 5 

A cascade of small, indignant girls were to- 
bogganing sidewise down the incline , . 17 

Don^t you worry so, Jimmy” . , . . , 21 

A big turkey, looking so comical with his 

legs stuck in his body . 31 

It ^s Jimmy, ma^am — he’s dead I” , , . 37 

** Ma, I Ve got a hossi” 63 

Now, you prop his jaw open with a little 

stick” . 71 

Miss Hazy was awakened early that morning 79 

We Ve used to bosses ; this here V the 

second one we Ve had ” 83 


IX 


List of Illustrations 


Australia in the rain-barrel ♦ 

Each little Wiggs laid her head on the iron- 
ing-board, a willing sacrifice on the altar 
of vanity 

We have left the theayter tickets to home I 
It was a singularly enthusiastic theater party 
Gesticulated with a chicken croquette ♦ . 

Lemme hold the muff ! cried Australia 

Asia was busily working ♦ 

Not a very big girl, are you?^’ , , . . ♦ 

I Ve ^most got it ! cried Australia . , * 

am afraid her hair will have to be cut” 

A crowd of boys were coming up the track , 

Somehow, I never feel like good things bMong 
to me till I pass ^em on to somebody else” 

Mrs* Eichorn came early 

Mr. Eichorn made a bow to Mrs. Wiggs . 


PAGE 

95 

III 

II9 

125 

133 

149 

155 

169 

189 

195 

203 

209 

215 

221 


MRS. WIGGS OF THE 
CABBAGE PATCH 


> 




MRS. WIGGS OF THE 
CABBAGE PATCH 

isf 

CHAPTER I 

MRS. WIGGS’S PHILOSOPHY 

“/w the mud and scum of things 
Something always, always sings!” 

f but it nice an^ 
cold this mornin^ ! 
The thermometer 
done fell up to 
zero!^^ 

Mrs. W i^^s made 
the statement as cheerfully as if her 
elbows were not sticking out through 
the boy^s coat that she wore, or her 
teeth chattering in her head like a pair 
3 



Mrs. VOi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


of castanets. But, then, Mrs. Wi^gs 
was a philosopher, and the sum and 
substance of her philosophy lay in 
keeping the dust off her rose-colored 
spectacles. When Mr. Wi^s traveled 
to eternity by the alcohol route, she 
buried bis faults with him, and for 
want of better virtues to extol she al- 
ways laid stress on the fine hand be 
wrote. It was the same way when 
their little country home burned and 
she had to come to the city to seek 
work ; her one comment was : Thank 
God, it was the pi^ instid of the baby 
that was burned! 

So this bleak morning in December 
she pinned the bed-clothes around the 
children and made them sit up close 
to the stove, while she pasted brown 
4 








Mrs. ZViggs^s Philosophy 


paper over the broken window-pane 
and made sprightly comments on the 
change in the weather. 

The Wiggses lived in the Cabbage 
Patch. It was not a real cabbage 
patch, but a queer neighborhood, 
where ramshackle cottages played 
hop-scotch over the railroad tracks. 
There were no streets, so when a new 
house was built the owner faced it any 
way his fancy prompted. Mr. Bagby^s 
grocery, it is true, conformed to con- 
vention, and presented a solid front to 
the railroad track, but Miss Hazy^s 
cottage shied off sidewise into the 
Wiggses^ yard, as if it were afraid of 
the big freight-trains that went thun- 
dering past so many times a day ; and 
Mrs. Schultz^s front room looked di- 
7 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


rectly into the Eichorns^ kitchen. The 
latter was not a bad arrangement, how- 
ever, for Mrs. Schultz had been con- 
fined to her bed for ten years, and her 
sole interest in life consisted in watch- 
ing what took place in her neighbor's 
family. 

The Wiggses^ house was the most 
imposing in the neighborhood. This 
was probably due to the fact that it 
had two front doors and a tin roof. 
One door was nailed up, and the other 
opened outdoors, but you would never 
guess it from the street. When the 
country house burned, one door had 
been saved. So Mrs. Wiggs and the 
boys brought it to the new home and 
skilfully placed it at the front end of 
the side porch. But the roof gave the 
8 


Mrs. ZViggs^s T^hilosophy 


house its chief distinction; it was the 
only tin roof in the Cabbage Patch. 
Jim and Billy had made it of old cans 
which they picked up on the com- 
mons. 

Jim was fifteen and head of the fam- 
ily; his shoulders were those of a 
man, and were bent with work, but 
his body dwindled away to a pair of 
thin legs that seemed incapable of 
supporting the burden imposed upon 
them. In his anxious eyes was the 
look of a bread-winner who had be- 
gun the struggle too soon. Life had 
been a tragedy to Jim: the tragedy 
that comes when a child^s sensitive 
soul is forced to meet the responsibili- 
ties of manhood, yet lacks the wisdom 
that only experience can bring. 

9 


Mrs^ XSDi^gs of the Cabbage ^atch 


Billy Wiggs was differently consti- 
tuted ; responsibilities rested upon 
him as lightly as the freckles on his 
nose. When occasion or his mother 
demanded he worked to ^ood purpose, 
with a tenacity that argued well for 
his future success, but for the most 
part he played and fought and got into 
trouble with the aptitude characteristic 
of the average small boy. 

It was Mrs. Wiggs^s boast that 
her three little girls had geography 
names; first came Asia, then Australia. 
When the last baby arrived, Billy had 
stood looking down at the small bundle 
and asked anxiously: Are you goin^ 
to have it fer a boy or a girl, ma?^^ 
Mrs. Wiggs had answered: A girl, 
Billy, an^ her name ^s EuropenaT^ 

On this particular Sunday morning 
10 


Mrs. VOi^gs^s Philosophy 


Mrs. Wiggs bustled about the kitchen 
in unusual haste. 

I am ^oin^ to make you all some 
nice Irish pertater soup fer dinner/^ 
she said, as she came in from the par- 
lor, where she kept her potatoes and 
onions. The boys ^11 be in soon, an^ 
we 'W have to hurry an^ git through 
^fore the childern begin to come to 
Sunday-school.^^ 

For many years Sunday afternoon 
had been a trying time in the neigh- 
borhood, so Mrs. Wiggs had organized 
a Sunday-school class at which she 
presided. 

If there don^t come Chris an^ Pete 
aVeady! said Asia, from her post by 
the stove. I bet they ’ve had their 
dinner, an^ jes come early to git some 
of ours! 

1 1 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


Why, Asia!^^ exclaimed Mrs, 
Wig^s, that ain^t hospitUe, an^ Chris 
with one le^, too! ain^t no trouble 
at all. All I ^ot to do is to put a little 
more water in the soup, an^ me an^ Jim 
wonH take but one piece of bread.^^ 

When Jim and Billy came in they 
found their places at the table taken, 
so they sat on the floor and drank 
their soup out of tea-cups. 

^^Gee!^^ said Billy, after the third 
help, I ^ve drinken so much that 
when I swallers a piece er bread I can 
hear it splash I 

Well, you boys ^it up now, an^ ^o 
out an^ bring me in a couple of planks 
to put acrost the cheers fer the chil- 
dern to set on.^^ 

By two o^clock the Sunday-school 
12 


Mrs* VOi^gs^s Philosophy 


had begun; every seat in the kitchen, 
available and otherwise, was occupied. 
The boys sat in the windows and on 
the table, and the girls squeezed to- 
gether on the improvised benches, 
Mrs, Wiggs stood before them with a 
dilapidated hymn-book in her hand. 
Now, you all must hush talking so 
we kin all sing a hymn; I ^11 read it 
over, then we U1 all sing it together, 

^ When upon lifers billers you are tempest-tossed. 
When you are discouraged thinkin^ all is lost. 
Count yer many blessings, name ’em one by one. 
An’ it will surprise you what the Lord hath 
done ! ’ ” 

Clear and strong rose the childish 
voices in different keys and regardless 
of time, but with a genuine enthusiasm 
that was in itself a blessing. When 
13 


Mrs. ZVi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


they had sung through the three stan- 
zas Mrs. Wiggs began the lesson. 

What did we study ^bout last Sun- 
day? she asked. 

No response, save a smothered gig- 
gle from two of the little girls. 

DonH you all remember what the 
Lord give Moses up on the mountain 
A hand went up in the corner, and 
an eager voice cried: 

Yas, ^m, I know! Lord give Moses 
ten tallers, an^ he duveled ^em.^^ 

Before Mrs. Wiggs could enter into 
an argument concerning this new ver- 
sion of sacred history, she was hit in 
the eye with a paper wad. It was aimed 
at Billy, but when he dodged she be- 
came the victim. This caused some 
delay, for she had to bathe the injured 
M 


Mrs^ ZViggs^s Philosophy 


member, and during the interval the 
Sunday-school became riotous. 

Mith Wiggs, make Tommy tbop 
tbpittin^ terbaccer juice in my hat!^' 
Mis^ Wiggs, I know who bit you 
Teacher, kin I git a drink? 

It was not until Mrs. Wiggs, with a 
stocking tied over her eye, emerged 
from the bedroom and again took com- 
mand that order was restored. 

Where is Bethlehem ? she began, 
reading from an old lesson-paper. 

You kin search me promptly an- 
swered Chris. 

She ignored his remark, and passed 
to the next, who said, half doubtfully: 
Ain't it in Alabama?" 

No; it 's in the Holy Land," she 

said. 


15 


Mrs. VOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


A sudden commotion arose in the 
back of the room, Billy, by a se- 
ries of skilful manoeuvers, had suc- 
ceeded in removing the chair that 
held one of the planks, and a cascade 
of small, indignant girls were tobog- 
ganing sidewise down the incline. A 
fight was imminent, but before any 
further trouble occurred Mrs. Wiggs 
locked Billy in the bedroom and be- 
came mistress of the situation. 

What I think you childern need 
is a talk about fussin^ an^ fightin\ 
There ain^t no use in me teachin^ what 
they done a thousand years ago, when 
you ain^t got manners ^nough to listen 
at what I am sayin\ I recollect one 
time durin^ the war, when the soldiers 
was layin^ round the camp, tryin^ 
16 







»• ~ 

4m ^ 




L » 

1 . ^ sm. g K 

m 


- o 

• -C 

I ^ • 

« • •• ♦ « 

4 • 


•• '» ^ 

*>■ ‘ '■■ 




- 5^ 

", ' ' ' #>N» 

— . . _ *. 


ili 

■.""L!f. 





k* ■ 
^’or ■ 

K^vSSS 






- . . . ,>,y>,^.y?:vir:-::'""- ',;';;;->af> 

V — ■ O^'* — "«»' 

^ 

■ . 

_ ~~“*’i"'*?'**J'“- . 

^ e 








Mrs. ZJUiggs^s Philosophy 


they best to keep from freezin^ to 
death, a preacher come ^lon^ to hold 
a service. An^ when he got up to 
preach he sez, * Friends/ sez he, *my 
tex^ is Chilblains. They ain^t no use 
a-preachin^ religion to men whose 
whole thought is set on their feet. 
Now, you fellows ^it some soft soap 
an^ pour it in yer shoes, an^ jes keep 
them shoes on till yer feet gits well, an^ 
the nex^ time I come round yer minds 
^11 be better prepared to receive the 
word of the Lord.^ Now, that ^s the 
way I feel ^bout this here Sunday- 
school. First an^ fo^most, I am goin^ 
to learn you all manners. Jes one 
thought I want you to take away, an' 
that is, it 's sinful to fuss. Ma use' 
to say livin' was like quiltin' — you 
19 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


orter keep the peace an^ do Vay with 
the scraps. Now, what do I want you 
all to remember ? 

Don^t fuss!^^ came the prompt an- 
swer. 

That ^s right; now we Ml sing 
* Pull fer the shore.^ 

When the windows bad ceased to 
rattle from the vibrations of the lusty 
chorus, Mrs. Wiggs lifted her hands 
for silence. 

O Lord! she prayed earnestly, 
help these here childern to be good 
an^ kind to each other, an’ to their 
mas an’ their pas. Make ’em thankful 
fer whatever they ’ve got, even if it ain’t 
but a little. Show us all how to live 
like you want us to live, an’ praise God 
from whom all blessin’s flow. Amen.” 
As the last youngster scampered out 
20 









t£ 


^ r 




TilSWP 


H 


m 


• i ▼ • 


i^.’t ..-. 


* • 




Vi 


Gi 


in 






tv: 




f ' 




■^1 


'h '/'■■' ''"^^^^*'V'’''^' 7^ ^ ' ’’-ifflS'''^^.'--’ »**^~ *}l^ ' 

B® -V- .di :’?F'f*;. 








HR 


*’''jrT 7 -. 



V 






.■st.:>m !a=. .’ 


.vl" 





* J> • * ' ' ^ 

. . .• * *^> .V 

r/^ ;i **-.v ^ 




I?' iF.‘ -•■ *V- ^..'ifi 


— . t.‘i* 

: ; • .' * t • . >1 •Vfti u 

'?« r^'sT' 4 ■ 

^ 'iV ; ' • * 

♦ ^ > 



Ji-gr 

tr'’ :'"V' 't 

^vyiv':" 

jiZm * , 



e* ■ Jl- * Ti^ 



^ v-^v 

^JclW^ I • V ^ .,*, 




E^M T ^ * ■ Ah 




Mrs* VOi^gs^s Philosophy 


of the yard, Mrs. Wig^s turned to the 
window where Jim was standing. He 
had taken no part in the singing, and 
was silent and preoccupied. 
said his mother, trying to look into his 
face, you never had on yer overcoat 
when you come in. You ainH gone 
an’ sold it?” 

Yes,” said the boy, heavily; but 
’t ain’t ’nough fer the rent. I got to 
figger it out some other way.” 

Mrs. Wiggs put her arm about his 
shoulder, and together they looked out 
across the dreary commons. 

Don’t you worry so, Jimmy,” said 
she. Mebbe I kin git work to-mor- 
row, or you ’ll git a raise, or somethin’ ; 
they ’ll be some way.” 

Little she guessed what the way 
was to be. 


23 


CHAPTER II 

WAYS AND MEANS 

** Ah! well may the children weep before you ! 

They are weary ere they run ; 

They have never seen the sunshine, nor the glory 
Which is brighter than the sun." 

HE cold wave that was 
ushered in that De- 
cember morning was 
the beginning of a lon^ 
series of days that 
vied with each other 
as to which could induce the mercury 
to drop the lowest. The descent of the 
temperature seemed to have a like 
effect on the barrel of potatoes and the 
load of coal in the Wig^ses^ parlor. 

24 



ZVays and Means 


Mrs. Wiggs^s untiring efforts to find 
employment had met with no success, 
and Jim^s exertions were redoubled; 
day by day his scanty earnings became 
less sufficient to meet the demands of 
the family. 

On Christmas eve they sat over the 
stove, after the little ones had gone to 
bed, and discussed the situation. The 
wind hurled itself against the house in 
a very frenzy of rage, shaking the 
icicles from the window-ledge and 
hissing through the patched panes. 
The snow that sifted in through the 
loose sash lay unmelted on the sill. 
Jim had a piece of old carpet about 
him, and coughed with almost every 
breath. Mrs. Wiggs^s head was in 
her hands, and the tears that trickled 
25 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


through her crooked fingers hissed 
as they fell on the stove> It was the 
first time Jim had ever seen her give 
up. 

Seems like we Ml have to ast fer 
help^ she said. I canM ast fer 

credit at Mr. Bagby^s; seems like 
I M never have the courage to pull 
ag’in^ a debt. What do you think? I 
guess — it looks like mebbe we Ml 
have to apply to the organization.^^ 
Jim^s eyes flashed. Not yet, 
ma! he said firmly. It ^uM be with 
us like it was with the Hornbys; they 
did nM have nothin^ to eat, an^ they 
went to the organization, an^ the man 
asted ^em if they had a bed or a table, 
an^ when they said yes, be said, ^ Well, 
why donM you sell ^em?^ No, ma! 

26 


ZVays and Means 


As long as we ^ve got coal I Ml git the 
vittles some way! He had to pause, 
for a violent attack of coughing shook 
him from head to foot. I think I 
kin git a night job nex^ week; one of 
the marketmen comes in from the 
country ever’ night to git a’ early start 
nex’ mornin’, an’ he ast me if I ’d 
sleep in his wagon from three to six 
an’ keep his vegetables from bein’ 
stole. That ’u’d gimme time to git 
home an’ git breakfast, an’ be down to 
the fact’ry by seven.” 

But, Jimmy boy,” cried his mo- 
ther, her voice quivering with anxiety, 
you never could stan’ it night an’ 
day too! No, I ’ll watch the wagon; 
I ’ll—” 

A knock on the parlor door inter- 
27 


Mrs* VOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


rupted hen She hastily dried her eyes 
and smoothed her hain Jim went to the 
door. 

I ^ve a Christmas basket for you ! 
cried a cheery voice. 

^Ms this Christmas? Jim asked 
dully. 

The ^irl in the doorway laughed. 
She was tall and slender, but Jim could 
only see a pair of sparkling eyes be- 
tween the brim of the hat and her 
high fur collar. It was nice to hear 
her laugh, though; it made things 
seem warmer somehow. The colored 
man behind her deposited a large bas- 
ket on the door-step. 

It ^s from the church, she ex- 
plained; a crowd of us are out in the 
omnibus distributing baskets.^^ 

28 


VOays and Means 


Well, how you ever happen to 
come here?^^ cried Mrs. Wiggs, who 
had come to the door. 

There is one for each of the mis- 
sion-school families; just a little Christ- 
mas greeting, you know.^^ 

Mrs. Wiggs^s spirits were rising 
every minute. Well, that certainly 
is kind and thoughtful like,^^ she said. 

Won^t you — " she hesitated; the 
room she had just left was not in a 
condition to receive guests, but Mrs. 
Wiggs was a Kentuckian. Come 
right in an^ git warm,^^ sTie said cor- 
dially; the stove ^s died down some, 
but you could git thawed out.^^ 

No, thank you, I canH come in,^^ 
said the young lady, with a side glance 
at Jim, who was leaning against the 
29 


Mrs* VOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


door. Have you plenty of coal?’^ 
she asked, in an undertone. 

Oh, yes, ^m, thank you,^^ said Mrs. 
Wi^gs, smiling reassuringly. Her tone 
might have been less confident but for 
Jim^s warning glance. Every fiber of 
bis sensitive nature shrank from asking 
help. 

The girl was puzzled; she noticed 
the stamp of poverty on everything 
in sight except the bright face of the 
little woman before her. 

WelV^ she said doubtfully, if 
you ever want — to come to see me, 
ask for Miss Lucy Olcott at Terrace 
Park. Good night, and a happy Christ- 
mas! 

She was gone, and the doorway 
looked very black and lonesome in 
30 


I 











ZVays and Means 


consequence. But there was the big 
basket to prove she was not merely an 
apparition, and it took both Jim and 
his mother to carry it in. Sitting on the 
floor, they unpacked it. There were 
vegetables, oatmeal, fruit, and even tea 
and coffee. But the surprise was at 
the very bottom! A big turkey, look- 
ing so comical with his legs stuck in 
bis body that Jim laughed outright. 

It ^s the first turkey that ^s been in 
this house fer many a day I said Mrs. 
Wiggs, delightedly, as she pinched the 
fat fowl. I ^spect Europena Ml be 
skeered of it, it ^s so big. My, but 
we Ml have a good dinner to-morrow! 
I Ml git Miss Hazy an^ Chris to come 
over an^ spend the day, an^ I Ml carry 
a plate over to Mrs. Schultz, an^ take 
33 


Mrs^ XVi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


a little this here tea to ole Mrs, 
Lawson/^ 

The cloud had turned inside out for 
Mrs, Wi^^s, and only the silver lining 
was visible, Jim was doin^ a sum on 
the brown paper that came over the 
basket, and presently he looked up and 
said slowly: 

Ma, I ^uess we can^t have the 
turkey this year, I kin sell it fer a 
dollar seventy-five, an^ that would buy 
us ho^-meat fer a ^ood while,^^ 

Mrs, Wi^s^s face fell, and she 
twisted her apron-string in silence. 
She bad pictured the joy of a real 
Christmas dinner, the first the young- 
est children had ever known; she had 
already thought of half a dozen neigh- 
bors to whom she wanted to send a 
34 


ZVays and Means 


little snack/^ But one look at Jim^s 
anxious face recalled their circum- 
stances. 

Of course we U1 sell it/^ she said 
brightly. You have got the longest 
head fer a boy! We U1 sell it in the 
mornin^, an^ buy sausage fer dinner, 
an^ I ^11 cook some of these here nice 
vegetables an^ put a' orange an^ some 
candy at each plate, an^ the childern U1 
never know nothin^ ^bout it. Besides, 
she added, if you ainH never et tur- 
key-meat you don^t know howgood it is.^^ 
But in spite of her philosophy, after 
Jim had gone to bed she slipped over 
and took one more look at the turkey. 

I think I would n^t ^a^ minded so 
much,^^ she said wistfully, if they 
had n^t ^a^ sent the cramberries, too! 
35 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


For ten days the basket of provi- 
sions and the extra money made by 
Jim’s night-work and Mrs. Wiggs’s 
washing supplied the demands of the 
family; but by the end of January 
the clouds had gathered thicker than 
before. 

Mrs. Wiggs’s heart was heavy, one 
night, as she tramped home through 
the snow after a hard day’s work. The 
rent was due, the coal was out, and 
only a few potatoes were left in the 
barrel. But these were mere shadow 
troubles, compared with Jim’s illness; 
he had been too sick to go to the factory 
that morning, and she dared not think 
what changes the day might have 
brought. As she lifted the latch of 
her rickety door the sobbing of a child 
36 


Ways and Means 


greeted her; it was little Europena, 
crying for food. For three days there 
had been no bread in the house, and 
a scanty supply of potatoes and beans 
had been their only nourishment. 

Mrs. Wiggs hastened to where Jim 
lay on a cot in the corner; his cheeks 
were flushed, and his thin, nervous 
fingers picked at the old shawl that 
covered him. 

^^Jim,^^ she said, kneeling beside 
him and pressing his hot hand to her 
cheek, Jim, darling lemme go fer the 
doctor. You Ye worser than you 
was this morning an^ — an^ — I ^m 
so skeered!^^ Her voice broke in a 
sob. 

Jim tried to put bis arm around her, 
but something hurt him in his chest 
37 


Mrs. ZSOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


when he moved, so he patted her hand 
instead. 

Never mind, ma,^^ he said, his 
breath coming short; we ain^t got no 
money to buy the medicine, even if the 
doctor did come. You go git some 
supper now. An\ ma, don^t worry; I ^m 
goin^ to take keer of you all ! Only — 
only,^^ he added wearily, I guess I 
can^t sleep in the wagon to-night.^^ 
Slowly the hours passed until mid- 
night. Mrs. Wiggs had pulled Jim^s 
cot close to the stove, and applied vig- 
orous measures to relieve him. Her 
efforts were unceasing, and one after 
another the homely country remedies 
were faithfully administered. At twelve 
o^clock he grew restless. 

Seems like I ^m hot, then ag^in 
38 


ZVays and Means 


I cold/^ he said, speaking with 
difficulty. Could you find a little 
somethin^ more to put over me, ma?^^ 
Mrs. Wi^s got up and went toward 
the bed. The three little girls lay hud- 
dled under one old quilt, their faces 
pale and sunken. She turned away 
abruptly, and looked toward the corner 
where Billy slept on a pallet. The 
blankets on his bed were insufficient 
even for him. She put her hands over 
her face, and for a moment dry sobs 
convulsed her. The hardest grief is 
often that which leaves no trace. 
When she went back to the stove she 
bad a smile ready for the sick boy. 

Here ^s the very thing,” she said; 
^Mt ^s my dress skirt. I don^t need it 
a mite, settin^ up here so dost to the 
39 


Mrs. of the Cabbage Thatch 


fire. See how nice it tucks in all 
round 

For a while he lay silent, then he 
said: Ma, are you Vake?^^ 

Yes, Jim.^^ 

Well, I bin thinkin^ it over. If I 
ain^t better in the morning I guess — " 
the words came reluctantly — I guess 
you M better go see the Christmas 
Lady. I would n^t mind her knowin^ 
so much. won^t be fer long, no- 
how, ^cause I kin take keer of you all 
soon — soon ^s I kin git up.^^ 

The talking brought on severe cough- 
ing, and he sank back exhausted. 

Can^t you go to sleep, honey? 
asked his mother. 

^^No; it ^s them ole wheels, he 
said fretfully, them wheels at the 
40 


ZVays and Means 


factVy; when I to sleep they keep 
on wakin’ me up/^ 

Mrs. Wiggs^s hands were rough and 
knotted, but love taught them to be 
gentle as she smoothed his hot head. 

^^Want me to tell you ^bout the 
country, Jim?^^ she asked. 

Since he was a little boy he had 
loved to hear of their old home in the 
valley. His dim recollection of it all 
formed his one conception of heaven. 

Yes, ma; mebbe it will make me 
fergit the wheels, he said. 

WelV^ she began, putting her head 
beside his on the pillow, so he could 
not watch her face, it was all jes like 
a big front yard without no fences, an^ 
the flowers did n^t belong to folks like 
they do over on the avenue, where you 


Mrs. VDi^gs of the Cabbage ^atch 


dassent pick a one; but they was 
God^s, an^ you was welcome to all you 
could pulL An^ there was trees, Jim, 
where you could climb up an^ ^it bi^ 
red apples, an^ when the frost ^u^d come 
they ^d be persimmons that ^u^d jes 
melt in yer mouth. An^ you could 
look Vay off ^crost the meaders, an^ 
see the trees a-wavin^ in the sunshine, 
an^ up over yer head the birds ^u^d be 
singin^ like they was never ^oin^ to 
stop. An^ yer pa an^ me ^u^d take you 
out at the harvesting-time, an^ you ^u^d 
play on the haystacks. I kin remem- 
ber jes bow you looked, Jim — a fat 
little boy, with red cheeks a-laughin’ 
all the time.^^ 

Mrs. Wi^gs could tell no more, for 
the old memories were too much for 
42 


VDays and Means 


her. Jim scarcely knew when she 
stopped; his eyes were half closed, 
and a sweet drowsiness was upon him. 

It ^s nice an^ warm in the sun- 
shine, he murmured; the meaders 
an^ trees — laughin^ all the time! Birds 
sin^in\ singing sin^in\^^ 

Then Jim be^an to sing too, softly 
and monotonously, and the sorrow that 
had not come with years left his tired 
face, and he fearlessly drifted away into 
the Shadowy Valley where his lost 
childhood lay. 


43 


CHAPTER III 

THE “CHRISTMAS LADY” 


“ The rosy glow of summer 
Is on thy dimpled cheek. 

While in thy heart the winter 
Is lying cold and bleak. 

“ But this shall change hereafter. 
When years have done their part. 
And on thy cheek the winter. 

And summer in thy heart." 


'ATE the next after- 
noon a man and a 
^irl were standing in 
the Olcott reception 
hall. The lamps had 
' n: not been lighted, but 
the blaze from the back-log threw a 
cozy glow of comfort over the crimson 
44 



The Christmas Lady^^ 


curtains and on the mass of bright- 
hued pillows in the window-seat. 

Robert Redding, standing with his 
hat in his hand, would have been ^one 
long ago if the Christmas Lady had 
not worn her violet gown. He said it 
always took him half an hour to say 
good-by when she wore a rose in her 
hair, and a full hour when she had on 
the violet dress. 

By Jove, stand there a minute just 
as you are! The firelight shining 
through your hair makes you look like a 
saint. Little Saint Lucinda! he said 
teasingly, as he tried to catch her hand. 
She put it behind her for safe-keeping. 

Not a saint at all?^^ he went on, 
in mock surprise; then an iceberg — 
a nice, proper little iceberg.^^ 

45 


Mrs* VOi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


Lucy Olcott looked up at him for a 
moment in silence; he was very tall 
and straight, and his face retained 
much of its boyishness, in spite of the 
firm, square jaw. 

Robert,^^ she said, suddenly ^rown 
serious, I wish you would do some- 
thing for me.^^ 

All right; what is it? be asked. 

She timidly put her hand on his, and 
looked up at him earnestly. 

It ^s about Dick Harris,^^ she said. 

I wish you would not be with him so 
much.^^ 

Redding^s face clouded. You aren^t 
afraid to trust me?^^ he asked. 

^^Ob, no; it is n't that," she said 
hurriedly; but, Robert, it makes peo- 
ple think such wrong things about you; 
I can't bear to have you misjudged." 

46 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


Redding put his arm around her, 
and together they stood looking down 
into the glowing embers. 

^^Tell me about it, little girl; what 
have you heard ? be asked. 

She hesitated. It was n^t true 
what they said. I knew it was n^t true, 
but they had no right to say it.^^ 

Well, let ^s hear it, anyway. What 
was it ? 

Some people were here last night 
from New Orleans; they asked if I 
knew you — said they knew you and 
Dick the year you spent there.^^ 
^^Well?^^ said Redding. 

Lucy evidently found it difficult to 
continue. They said some horrid 
things then, just because you were 
Dick^s friend.^^ 

What were they, Lucy ? 

47 


Mrs. of the Cabbage Thatch 


They told me that you were both 
as wild as could be; that your reputa- 
tion was no better than his; that — 
forgive me, Robert, for even repeating 
it. It made me very angry,, and I told 
them it was not true — not a word of 
it; that it was all Dick^s fault; that 
he— 

Lucy,^^ interrupted Redding, per- 
emptorily, wait until you hear me! 
I have never lied to you about any- 
thing, and I will not stoop to it now. 
Four years ago, when those people 
knew me, I was just what they said. 
Dick Harris and I went to New Or- 
leans straight from college. Neither 
of us had a home or people to care 
about us, so we went in for a good 
time. At the end of the year I was sick 
48 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


of it all, braced up, and came here* 
Poor Dick, he kept on.^^ 

At his first words the color had left 
Lucy^s face, and she had slipped to 
the opposite side of the fire, and stood 
watching him with horrified eyes. 

But you were never like Dick! 
she protested. 

Yes,^^ he continued passionately, 
and but for God^s help I should be 
like hirn still. It was an awful pull, 
and Heaven only knows how I strug- 
gled. I never quite saw the use of it 
all, until I met you six months ago; 
then I realized that the past four years 
had been given me in which to make 
a man of myself. 

As he finished speaking he saw, for 
the first time, that Lucy was crying. 
49 


Mrs. XVi^^s of the Cabbage ^atch 


He sprang forward, but she shrank 
away. No, no, don^t touch me! I 
so terribly disappointed, and hurt, and 
— stunned/^ 

But you surely don^t love me the 
less for having conquered these things 
in the past ? 

I donH know, I don^t know,^^ she 
said, with a sob. I honored and 
idealized you, Robert. I can never 
think of you as being other than you 
are now.’’ 

But why should you? ” he pleaded. 

It was only one year out of my life; 
too much, it ’s true, but I have atoned 
for it with all my might. ” 

The intensity and earnestness of his 
voice were beginning to influence her. 
She was very young, with the stern, 
50 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


uncompromising standards of girlhood ; 
life was black or white to her, and time 
had not yet filled in the canvas with the 
myriad ^rays that blend into one an- 
other until all lines are effaced and 
only the Master Artist knows the boun- 
daries. 

She looked up through her tears. 

I ’ll try to forgive you/’ she said 
tremulously; but you must promise 
to give up your friendship for Dick 
Harris.” 

Redding frowned and bit his lip. 
‘‘That ’s not fair!” he said. “You 
know Dick ’s my chum; that he has 
n’t the least influence over me; that 
I am about the only one to stand by 
him.” 

“ I am not afraid of his influence, 
51 


Mrs* ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


but I don^t want people to see you to- 
gether; it makes them say things/^ 
But, Lucy, you would n^t have me 
go back on him? Dick has a big heart ; 
he ^s trying to brace up — 

Ob, nonsense! cried Lucy, im- 
patiently. The fire in her eyes had 
dried the tears. He could straighten 
up if be wanted to. He likes to drink 
and gamble, so he does it, and you keep 
him in countenance by your friendship. 
Are you hesitating between us?^^ she 
demanded angrily. 

Redding^s face was clouded, and be 
spoke slowly: ^^You would n^t ask 
this of me, Lucy, if you understood. 
Dick and I have been chums since we 
were boys. He came to Kentucky 
three months ago, sick and miserable. 

52 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


One day he came into the office and 
said, ^ Bob, you ^ve pulled through all 
right; do you think it too late for me 
to try ? ^ What would you have said? 

What you did, probably,” answered 
Lucy; but I would have profited by 
the one experience, for he has hardly 
drawn a sober breath since.” She 
looked out of the window across the 
snowy landscape, and in her face was 
something of the passionless purity of 
the scene upon which her eyes rested. 

You are mistaken,” he cried fierce- 
ly. Because you have seen him sev- 
eral times in that condition, you have 
no right to draw such a conclusion. 
He is weak, nobody denies it; but 
what can you know of the struggle he 
makes, of his eagerness to do better, of 
53 


Mrs, VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


the fi^ht that he is constantly making 
with himself 

His words fell on deaf ears. 

Then you choose Mr. Harris ? '' 
Lucy, this is madness; it is not 
like you in the least ! '' 

The girl was cold with anger and 
excitement. It is bad enough/^ she 
said, to know that my defense of you 
last night was worse than useless, but 
to have you persist in a friendship with 
a man who is beneath you in every way 
is more than I can stand.^^ She slipped 
a ring from her finger and held it to- 
ward him. I could never marry a 
man of whom I was ashamed.^^ 

The shot went home; there was a 
white line about Redding^s mouth as 
be turned away. 


54 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


I would not ask you to/^ he said, 
with simple dignity, as he opened the 
door. 

Please, ma^am, is this Miss Ol- 
cott^s?^^ asked a trembling voice on 
the piazza. A shabby woman stood 
looking at them with wild eyes; her 
gray hair had escaped from the torn 
shawl that was pinned over her head, 
and stray locks blew across her face. 

Lucy did not recognize her. I will 
speak to you in a moment,^ ^ she said. 

An awkward pause followed, each 
waiting for the other to speak. 

I will come when you send for me,^^ 
said Redding, without looking at her, 
and, turning abruptly, he strode down 
the steps and out into the dusk. 

Lucy caught her breath and started 

55 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


forward; then she remembered the 
woman. 

What is it ? she asked listlessly. 

The woman stepped forward, and 
put out a hand to steady herself against 
the door; her face was distorted, and 
her voice came in gasps. 

You said I was to come if I needed 
you. It ’s Jimmy, ma^am — he ^s 
dead! 

It may be experience of suffering 
makes one especially tender to the 
heartaches of others; at any rate, the 
article that Lucy Olcott wrote for the 
paper that night held the one touch of 
nature that makes the whole world kin. 
She had taken Aunt Chloe, the old 
colored servant, and gone home with 
56 










■BB^/ . 



■i 


E'l 


0 

▼ St. , 

Ipf' Y n 

msiff 

' - i 5 ,«£j 




Fr 


. • ^ ‘ji Jl 

' < '^1^ f* 

~ 1 • _ * « 





• ^-i # 

•' . 



< 

'4 ^ 


1*.' 


v. jM 

'ai 



The Christmas Lady^^ 


Mrs* Wi^s, relieving as far as pos- 
sible the immediate need of the family. 
Then she had come home and written 
their story, telling it simply, but with 
the passionate earnestness of one who, 
for the first time, has come into con- 
tact with poverty and starvation. She 
told of the plucky stru^le made by 
the boy, of his indomitable courage, of 
his final defeat, and she ended by ask- 
ing help of any kind for the destitute 
family. 

A week later she sat at her desk be- 
wildered. Her article, written on the 
impulse of the moment, with the one 
thought of making people under- 
stand, had fulfilled its mission. For 
seven days she had done nothing but 
answer questions and notes, and re- 
4 59 


Mrs^ ZlDi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


ceive contributions for the Wi^gs fam- 
ily. Money had arrived from all over 
the State, and from every class of so- 
ciety. Eichenstine Bros, sent fifty dol- 
lars, and six ragged newsboys came to 
present thirty cents. A lavender note, 
with huge monogram and written in 
white ink, stated that some of the girls 
of the Gay Burlesque Troupe sent 
a few dimes to the kid^s mother. 
The few dimes amounted to fifteen 
dollars. Mrs. Van Larkinas coach- 
man had to wait with her note while 
Lucy answered the questions of a 
lame old negro who bad brought a 
quarter. 

Maria done tole me what was writ 
in de papah ^bout dat pore chile,^^ he 
was saying. I suttenly do feel sorry fer 
60 


The Christmas Lady^^ 


hees maw. I ain^t ^ot much, but I 
tole Maria I guess we could do with- 
out somethin^ to gib a quahter/^ 

So it continued. Old and young, 
rich and poor, paid their substantial 
tribute of respect to Jimmy Wiggs. 

Lucy counted up the long line of 
figures. Three hundred and sixty-five 
dollars she exclaimed; and food, 
clothes, and coal enough to last them 
a year! 

It was like a direct answer to her 
prayer, and yet this poor little suppli- 
ant, instead of being duly exalted, put 
her head on the desk and wept bitter- 
ly. Now that the need of the Wiggs 
family had been met, another appeal, 
silent and potent, was troubling her 
heart. 


61 


Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Redding had neither come nor writ- 
ten, and she was be^innin^ to realize 
the seriousness of their misunder- 
standing. 


62 


CHAPTER IV 


THE ANNEXATION OF CUBY 

“ They well deserve to have, 

That know the strongest and surest way to get," 

LMOST a year rolled 
over the Cabbage 
Patch, and it was 
nearing Christmas 
again. The void left 
in Mrs. Wiggs^s heart 
by Jim^s death could never be filled, but 
time was beginning to soften her grief, 
and the necessity for steady employment 
kept her from brooding over her trouble. 

It was still needful to maintain the 
63 



Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


strictest economy, for half the money 
which had been given them was in 
Miss Olcott^s keeping as a safeguard 
against another rainy day. Mrs. Wiggs 
bad got as much washing as she could, 
do; Asia helped about the house, and 
Billy did odd jobs wherever he could 
find them. 

The direct road to fortune, however, 
according to Billyhs ideas, could best 
be traveled in a kindling-wagon, and, 
while he was the proud possessor of a 
dilapidated wagon, sole relic of the late 
Mr. Wiggs, be had nothing to hitch to 
it. Scarcely a week passed that he did 
not agitate the question, and, as Mrs. 
Wiggs often said, When Billy Wiggs 
done set his head to a thing, he ^s as 
good as got it 


64 






The Jlnnexation of Cuby 


So she was not surprised when he 
rushed breathlessly into the kitchen 
one evening about supper-time, and 
exclaimed in excited tones: Ma, I ^ve 
got a boss! He was havin^ a fit on the 
commons, an^ they was goin^ to shoot 
him, an^ I ast the man to give him to 
me! 

My land, Billy! What do you 
want with a fit-hoss ? '' asked his 
mother. 

^Cause I knowed you could cure 
him. The man said if I took him I ^d 
have to pay fer cartin^ away his car- 
cass, but I said, ^All right, I 11 take 
him, anyway.^ Come on, ma, an^ see 
him!^^ and Billy hurried back to his 
new possession. 

Mrs. Wiggs pinned a shawl over her 
67 


Mrs. VOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


head and ran across the commons. A 
^roup of men stood around the writh- 
ing animal, but the late owner bad 
departed. 

He ^s ^most gone,^^ said one of the 
men, as she came up. I tole Billy 
you M beat him fer takin^ that ole nag 
offen the man^s han^s.^^ 

Well, I won^t, said Mrs. Wiggs, 
stoutly. Billy Wiggs ^s got more 
sense than most men I know. That 
bosses carcass is worth somethin^; I 
^spect he bring ^bout two dollars 
dead, an^ mebbe more livin\ Anyway, 
I ^m goin^ to save him if there ^s any 
save to him ! 

She stood with her arms on her 
hips, and critically surveyed her pa- 
tient. I 41 tell you what ^s the mat- 

68 





The /Innexation of Cuby 


ter with him/^ was her final diagnosis; 

his lights is riz* Billy, I goin^ 
home fer some medicine; you set on 
his head so 's he can^t git up, an^ 
ma U1 be right back in a minute/^ 

The crowd which had collected to 
see the horse shot began to disperse, 
for it was supper-time, and there was 
nothing to see now but the poor suffer- 
ing animal, with Billy Wiggs patiently 
sitting on its head. 

When Mrs. Wiggs returned she car- 
ried a bottle, and what appeared to be 
a large marble. This here is a calo- 
mel pilV^ she explained. I jes rolled 
the calomel in with some soft, light 
bread. Now, you prop his jaw open 
with a little stick, an^ I U1 shove it in, 
an^ then hole his head back, while I 
69 


Mrs. VOi^^s of the Cabbage ^atch 


pour down some water an^ turkentine 
outen this bottle/^ 

It was with ^reat difficulty that this 
was accomplished, for the old horse had 
evidently seen a vision of the happy 
hunting-ground, and was loath to return 
to the sordid earth. His limbs were al- 
ready stiffening in death, and the whites 
of his eyes only were visible. Mrs. 
Wiggs noted these discouraging symp- 
toms, and saw that violent measures 
were necessary. 

Gether some sticks an^ build a 
fire quick as you kin. I ^ve got to run 
over home. Build it right up dost to 
him, Billy; we ^ve got to git him het 
up.^^ 

She rushed into the kitchen, and, 
taking several cakes of tallow from the 
70 


The /innexation of Cuby 


shelf, threw them into a tin bucket. 
Then she hesitated for a moment. 
The kettle of soup was steaming away 
on the stove ready for supper. Mrs. 
Wiggs did not believe in sacrificing the 
present need to the future comfort. 
She threw in a liberal portion of pep- 
per, and, seizing the kettle in one hand 
and the bucket of tallow in the other, 
staggered back to the bonfire. 

Now, Billy,^^ she commanded, 
put this bucket of tallow down there 
in the hottest part of the fire. Look 
out; don't tip it — there! Now, you 
come here an' help me pour this soup 
into the bottle. I 'm goin' to git that 
ole boss so het up he 'll think he 's 
havin' a sunstroke! Seems sorter bad 
to keep on pesterin' him when he 's 
73 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


so near ^one, but this here soup Ml feel 
^ood when it once gits inside him/^ 

When the kettle was empty, the 
soup was impartially distributed over 
Mrs. Wiggs and the patient, but a 
goodly amount had got inside,^^ and 
already the horse was losing his 
rigidity. 

Only once did Billy pause in his 
work, and that was to ask: 

Ma, what do you think I ^d better 
name him?^^ 

Giving names was one of Mrs. 
Wiggs^s chief accomplishments, and 
usually required much thoughtful con- 
sideration; but in this case if there 
was to be a christening it must be at 
once. 

I M like a jography name,^^ sug- 
74 


The /Innexation of Cub y 


Rested Billy, feeling that nothing was 
too ^ood to bestow upon his treasure* 
Mrs. Wi^gs stood with the soup 
dripping from her hands, and earnestly 
contemplated the horse* Babies, pigs, 
goats, and puppies had drawn largely 
on her supply of late, and geography 
names especially were scarce* Sud- 
denly a thought struck her* 

I U1 tell you what, Billy! We Ml 
call him Cuby! It ^s a town I beared 
^em talkin^ ^bout at the grocery*^^ 

By this time the tallow was melted, 
and Mrs* Wiggs carried it over by the 
horse, and put each of bis hoofs into 
the hot liquid, while Billy rubbed the 
legs with all the strength of his young 
arms* 

That ^s right,^^ she said; now 
75 


Mrs. XSDiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


you run home an^ that piece of car- 
pet by my bed, an^ we kiver him up. 
I ^m ^oin^ to ^it them fence rails over 
yonder to keep the fire goinl^^ 

Through the long night they worked 
with their patient, and when the first 
glow of morning appeared in the east, 
a triumphant procession wended its 
way across the Cabbage Patch. First 
came an old woman, bearing sundry 
pails, kettles, and bottles; next came 
a very sleepy little boy, leading a 
trembling old horse, with soup all over 
its head, tallow on its feet, and a strip 
of rag-carpet tied about its middle. 

And thus Cuba, like his geographical 
namesake, emerged from the violent 
ordeal of reconstruction with a mangled 
constitution, internal dissension, a de- 
76 


The /Innexation of Cuby 


cided preponderance of foreign ele- 
ment, but a firm and abiding trust in 
the new power with which his fortunes 
bad been irrevocably cast. 


77 


CHAPTER V 
A REMINISCENCE 


“ It is easy enough to be pleasant 
When life flows along like a song. 

But the man worth while is the one who will smile 
When everything goes dead wrong." 

HEN Miss Hazy 
was awakened 
early that morn- 
ing by a reso- 
nant neigh at 
the head of her 
bed^ she mistook it for the trump of 
doom. Miss Hazy^s cottage^ as has 
been said, was built on the bias in the 
Wiggses^ side yard, and the little lean- 
78 







/I Reminiscence 


to^ immediately behind Miss Hazy^s 
bedroom, had been pressed into ser- 
vice as Cuba's temporary abiding-place. 

After her first agonized fright, the 
old woman ventured to push the door 
open a crack and peep out. 

Chris,'^ she said, in a tense whis- 
per, to her sleeping nephew — Chris, 
what on airth is this here hitched to 
our shutter ? '' 

Chris, usually deaf to all calls less 
emphatic than cold water and a broom- 
stick, raised a rumpled head from the 
bed-clothes. 

Where at ? '' he asked. 

Right here!^' said Miss Hazy, 
still in a terrified whisper, and holding 
fast the door, as if the specter might 
attempt an entrance. Chris did not 
81 


5 


Mrs. "Wiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


stop to adjust his wooden le^, but 
hopped over to the door, and cau- 
tiously put an eye to the opening. 

Why, shucks, ^t ain^t nothin^ but a 
boss ! be said, in disgust, having 
nerved himself for nothing less than a 
rhinoceros, such as he had seen in 
the circus. 

How ^d he git there ? demanded 
Miss Hazy. 

Chris was not prepared to say. 

All through breakfast Miss Hazy 
was in a flutter of excitement. She 
had once heard of a baby being left on 
a door-step, but never a horse. When 
the limit of her curiosity was about 
reached, she saw Mrs. Wiggs coming 
across the yard carrying a bucket. She 
hastened to meet her. 

82 


/I Reminiscence 


MorninV^ called Mrs* 
brightly, in spite of her night^s vigil; 
ain^t we got a fine boss ? 

Miss Hazy put the ash-barrel be- 
tween herself and the animal, and haz- 
arded a timid inspection, while Mrs. 
Wiggs made explanations, and called 
attention to Cubans fine points. 

Can^t you come in an^ take a 
warm asked Miss Hazy, as she con- 
cluded. 

Well, I brieve I wilV^ said Mrs. 
Wiggs. I ain^t been over fer quite a 
spell. The childern kin clean up, bein^ 
it ^s Saturday.^ ^ From seven to nine 
in the morning were the favorite call- 
ing-hours in the Cabbage Patch. 

Mrs. Wiggs chose the chair which 
had the least on it, and leaned back, 
83 


Mrs. VDi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


smiling affably as she remarked: 

We Ve used to bosses; this here 's 
the second one we ^ve had/^ 

My! said Miss Hazy, *^you 
muster been well-to-do! 

Yes/^ continued Mrs, Wiggs, we 
was — up to the time of the fire. Did 
I ever tell you ^bout how Jim brought 
our other boss to town ? '' 

Miss Hazy had heard the story a 
number of times, but she knew the du- 
ties of a hostess. 

It was this away,^^ went on Mrs, 
Wiggs, drawing her chair closer to the 
fire, and preparing for a good, long 
talk, ^^You see, me an^ the cbildern 
was comin^ on the steam-car train, but 
they was n^t no way to git the boss 
here, ^ceptin^ fer somebody to ride 
84 











/I Reminiscence 


him. Course Jim said he do it* 
Poor Jim, always ready to do the hard 
part ! She paused to wipe her eyes 
on her apron, and Miss Hazy wept in 
sympathy. 

Never min\ Mis^ Wi^gs; don^t 
cry. Go on an^ tell me what you done 
nex’.^^ 

WelV^ said Mrs. Wig^s, swallow- 
ing the lump in her throat, Jim said 
he go. He never had been to the 
city, an^ he was jes a little shaver, but 
I knowed I could trust him.^^ 

I don^t see how you could stan^ 
to risk it ! exclaimed Miss Hazy. 

Oh, I reckon whatever you got to 
do, you kin do. I did n^ see no other 
way; so one mornin^ I put a^ ole fo’- 
patch quilt over the boss, tied a bucket 
87 


Mrs* VDi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


of oats on behind an^ fixed some vittles 
fer Jim, an^ started ^em off* It was a 
forty-mile ride to the city, so I calker- 
lated to start Jim so 's he ^d ^it to Dr. 
Whitens ^bout ni^htfall/^ 

Dr. White was your old doctor, 
was n^t he ? prompted Miss Hazy. 

Yes, ^m; heused to^tendMr. Wiggs 
before we moved over into Bullitt 
County. You know Mr. Wiggs was 
a widow man when I married him. 
He had head trouble. Looked like all 
his inflictions ^ethered together in that 
head of hisn. He uster ^o into re^^- 
lar transoms ! 

Miss Hazy was awe-struck, but more 
dreadful revelations were to follow. 

I ^uess you knew I killed him,^^ 
continued Mrs. Wi^gs, calmly. The 
88 


/I Reminiscence 


doctor an^ everybody said so. He was 
jes gitten over typhoid, an^ I give him 
pork an^ beans. He was a wonderful 
man ! Kept his senses plumb to the 
end. I remember his very las^ words. 
I was settin^ by him, waitin^ fer the 
doctor to git there, an’ I kep^ sayin^, 
^ Oh, Mr. Wiggs ! You don^t think 
you are dyin\ do you?’ an’ he an- 
swered up jes as natch al an’ fretful- 
like, ^ Good Ian’, Nancy ! How do I 
know ? I ain’t never died before.’ 
An’ them was the very las’ words he 
ever spoke.” 

Was he a church -member. Mis’ 
Wiggs ? ” inquired Miss Hazy. 

Well, no, not exactly,” admitted 
Mrs. Wiggs, reluctantly. But he was 
what you might say a well-wisher. 
89 


Mrs. VDiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Buty as I was tellin^ you, Dn White 
was a^ ole friend, an^ I pinned a note 
on Jim^s coat tellin^ who he was an^ 
where he was ^oin\ an^ I knowed the 
doctor would have a^ eye on him when 
he ^ot as fur as Smithville. As fer the 
rest of the trip, I was nH so certain. 
The only person I knowed in the city 
was Pete Jenkins, an^ if there was one 
man in the world I did nH have no use 
fer, it was Pete. But when I donH 
like folks I try to do somethin^ nice fer 
^em. Seems like that ^s the only way 
I kin weed out my meanness. So I 
jes sez to Jim, ^You keep on astin^ 
till you ^it to No. 6 Injun House, an^ 
then you ast fer Pete Jenkins. You 
tell him,^ sez I, ^ you are Hiram 
Wiggs^s boy, an^ as long as he done 


y? Reminiscence 


so much harm to yer pa^ mebbe he M 
be glad to do a good turn by you, an^ 
keep you an^ the boss fer the night, 
till yer ma comes fer you/ Well, Jim 
started off, lookin^ mighty little settin^ up 
on that big boss, an^ I waved my apron 
long as I could; then I hid behin^ a 
tree to keep him from seein^ me cry. 
He rode all that day, an^ ^bout sun- 
down he come to Dr. Whitens. Pore 
little feller, he was so tired an^ stiff he 
could n^t hardly walk, but he tied the 
boss to the post an^ went round to the 
back door an^ knocked real easy. Mrs. 
White come to the door an^ sez, real 
cross, ^ No, doctor ain^t here,^ an^ 
slammed it shut ag^in. I ain^t mean- 
in^ to blame her; mebbe her bread was 
in the oven, or her baby crying or 
91 


Mrs. VOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


something but seems to me I could n^t 
have treated a do^ that away! 

Pore Jim, he dragged out to the 
road ag^in an^ set there beside the boss, 
not knowin^ what to do nex\ Night 
was a-comin^ on, he had n^t had no 
supper, an^ he was dead beat. By an^ 
by he went to sleep, an^ did n^t know 
nothin^ till somebody shuck his shoul- 
der an^ sez, ^ Git up from here! What 
you doin^ sleepin^ here in the road ? ^ 
Then he went stumblin^ ^long, with 
somebody holdin^ his arm, an^ he was 
took into a big, bright room, an^ the 
doctor was lookin^ at him an^ astin^ 
him questions. An^ Jim said he never 
did know what he answered, but it 
must ^a^ been right, fer the doctor 
grabbed holt of his hand, an^ sez: 

92 


/i Reminiscence 


^ Bless my soul! It ^s little Jimmy 
Wi^^s, all the way from Curryville I ^ 
Then they give him his supper, 
an^ Mrs. White sez: ^ Where ^11 he 
sleep at, doctor ? There ain^t no 
spare bed.^ Then Jim says the doc- 
tor frowned like ever^thin\ an^ sez: 
^ Sleep ? Why, he T sleep in the bed 
with my boys, an^ they orter be proud 
to have secb a plucky bedfeller! ' 

*^Jim never did fergit them words; 
they meant a good deal more to him 
than his supper. 

Early the nex^ mornin^ he started 
out ag^in, the doctor pointin^ him on 
the way. He did n^t git into the city 
till ^long ^bout four o^clock, an^ he sez 
he never was so mixed in all his life. 
All my childern was green ^bout town; 
93 


Mrs* ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


it made ever^ one of ^em sick when 
they first rode on the street-cars, an^ 
Europena was skeered to death of the 
newsboys, ^cause she thought they 
called ^ Babies,^ ^stid of ^ Papers/ Jim 
kep^ ri^ht on the main road, like he 
was tole to, but things kep^ a-happenin^ 
round him so fast, he said he could nh 
do no more ^n jes keep out the way* 
All of a suddint a^ ice-wa^on come 
rattlin^ up behin^ him* It was runnin^ 
off, an^ ^fore he knowed it a man hit it 
in the head an^ veered it round to- 
wards him; Jim said his boss turned 
a clean somerset, an^ he was throwed 
up in the air, an^ — 

called a shrill voice from 
the Wi^gses^ porch, Australia ^s in 
the rain-barrel!^^ 


94 






If- ' ,-. 







f i 


*'C?j|g * 


>» . 


.9 




A »• 





-• 


IP'..- - 

• ■ _ - 





■ 4 ^ i 


.* . 'w- 


* *. 


a* < 


• «► - 


I ' 



• M. 


Jj 





’n* 












*« f 


:■ • r^.: 


■ •*« 








v*i^ 


* r 









♦ •to 

^ I ; -^*Lr 





« t 



mL:.^ 





•I 


*•. 






if* 









•w 





. C- - 



JSLljtL 




4^ - 



y? Reminiscence 


Mrs, Wi^gs looked exasperated. I 
never was havin^ a ^ood time in my 
life that one of my childern did n^t git 
in that rain-barrel! 

Well, go on an^ finish/^ said Miss 
Hazy, to whom the story had lost 
nothing by repetition. 

They ain^t much more,^^ said Mrs. 
Wiggs, picking up her bucket. ^^Our 
boss had two legs an^ his neck broke, 
but Jim never had a scratch. A police- 
man took him to No. 6 Injun House, 
an^ Pete Jenkins jes treated him like 
he ^d been his own son. I was done 
cured then an^ there fer my feelin^ 
agMn^ Pete.^^ 

^^Ma!^^ again came the warning cry 
across the yard. 

^^All right, I ^m cominM Good-by, 
97 


Mrs. VDiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Miss Hazy. You have a^ eye to Cuby 
till we ^it our shed ready. He ain^t as 
sperited as he looks. 

And, with a cordial hand-shake, Mrs. 
Wi^^s went cheerfully away to admin- 
ister chastisement to her erring off- 
spring. 


98 


CHAPTER VI 

A THEATER PARTY 

“ The play, the play ’s the thing 1" 

ILLY^S foreign policy 
proved most satisfac- 
tory, and after the 
annexation of Cuba 
many additional dimes 
found their way into 
the tin box on top of the wardrobe. 
But it took them all, besides Mrs. 
Wiggs^s earnings, to keep the family 
from the awful calamity of pullin^ 
ag^in^ a debt.^^ 

One cold December day Billy came 

99 



Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


in and found his mother leaning wearily 
on the table. Her face brightened as 
he entered, but he caught the tired look 
in her eyes. 

What ^s the matter? he asked. 

Ain^t nothin^ the matter, Billy,^^ 
she said, trying to speak cheerfully; 

I ^m jes wore out, that 's all. It U1 be 
with me like it was with Uncle Ned^s 
ole ox, I reckon; he kep^ a-goin^ an^ 
a-goin^ till he died a-standin^ up, an^ 
even then they had to push him over.^^ 
She walked to the window, and stood 
gazing absently across the commons. 

Do you know, Billy,^^ she said sud- 
denly, I ^ve got the craziest notion in 
my head. I ^d jes give anything to 
see the show at the Opery House this 
week.^' 


100 


/I Theater T^arty 


If she bad expressed a wish for a 
diamond necklace, Billy could not have 
been more amazed, and his counte- 
nance expressed his state of mind. 
Mrs. Wiggs hastened to explain: 

Course, I ain^,t really thinkin^ ^bout 
goin^, but them show-bills started me 
to studyin^ ^bout it, an^ I got to wishin^ 
me an^ you could go.'^ 

I donH ^spect it ^s much when you 
git inside,^ ^ said Billy, trying the effects 
of negative consolation. 

Yes, ^t is, Billy Wiggs,^^ answered 
his mother, impressively. You ain^t 
never been inside a theayter,an^ I have. 
I was there twicet, an^ it was grand! 
You orter see the lights an^ fixings, an^ 
all the fine ladies an' their beaux. First 
time I went they was a man in skin- 
101 


6 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage ^Patch 


tights a-walkin^ on a rope hoisted Vay 
up over everybody's head/^ 

What skin-ti^hts ? asked Billy, 
thrilled in spite of himself. 

It ^s spangles round yer waist, an^ 
shoes without no heels to ^em. You see, 
the man could n^t wear many clothes, 
^cause it would make him. too heavy to 
stay up there in the air. The band 
plays all the time, an^ folks sing an^ 
speechify, an^ everybody laughs any has 
a good time. It ys jes grand, I tell 
you ! yy 

Billyys brows were puckered, and he 
sat unusually quiet for a while, looking 
at his mother. Finally he said: ^^You 
might take my snow-money from lasy 
week.yy 

Mrs. Wiggs was indignant. Why, 
102 


Jl Theater T^arty 


Billy Wiggs ! she exclaimed^ you 
think I take an^ go to a show, when 
Asia an^ Australia ain^t got a good shoe 
to their backs ? 

Billy said no more about the theater, 
but that afternoon, when he was out 
with the kindling, he pondered the 
matter deeply. It was quite cold, and 
sometimes he had to put the reins be- 
tween his knees and shove his hands 
deep into his pockets to get the stiff- 
ness out of them. It really seemed as 
if everybody had just laid in a supply 
of kindling, and the shadowy little plan 
he had been forming was growing more 
shadowy all the time. 

I ^spect the tickets cost a heap,^^ 
be thought ruefully, as he drew him- 
self up into a regular pretzel of a boy; 
103 


Mrs. XJOi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


but, then, she never does have no 
fun, an^ never gits a thing fer herself/^ 
And because Billy knew of his mother^s 
many sacrifices, and because he found 
it very hard to take Jim^s place, a lump 
lodged in his throat, and gave him so 
much trouble that he forgot for a while 
how cold he was. 

About this time he came within sight 
of the Opera House, and tantalizing 
posters appeared of the Greatest Ex- 
travaganza of the Century.^^ He pulled 
Cuba into a walk, and sat there ab- 
sorbing the wonders depicted; among 
the marvels were crowds of children 
dressed as butterflies, beautiful ladies 
marching in line, a man balancing a 
barrel on bis feet, and — yes, there was 
the man in skin-tights walking on 
the rope! 


104 


/? Theater T^arty 


A keen puff of wind brought Billy 
back to his senses, and as his longing 
eyes turned from the gorgeous show- 
bills they encountered the amused look 
of a gentleman who had just come out 
from the Opera House. He was so 
tall and fine-looking that Billy thought 
he must own the show. 

Some kindling sir?^^ 

The gentleman shook his head. 
The posters still danced before Billyhs 
eyes; if his mother could only see the 
show ! The last chance seemed slip- 
ping away. Suddenly a bold idea pre- 
sented itself. He got out of the wagon, 
and came up on the step. 

Could n^t you use a whole load, if 
I was to take it out in tickets ? 

The man looked puzzled. *^Take 
it out in tickets ? he repeated. 

103 


Mrs. XVig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


sir/^ said Billy, theayter 
tickets. DonH you own the show? 

The gentleman laughed. Well, 
hardly/^ he said. What do you want 
with more than one ticket? 

There was a certain sympathy in his 
voice, in spite of the fact that he was 
still laughing, and before Billy knew it 
he had told him all about it. 

How many tickets could yer gimme 
fer the load? '' he asked, in conclusion. 

The gentleman made a hurried cal- 
culation. ^^You say you have three 
sisters? he asked. 

^^Yep,^^ said Billy. 

^^Well, I should say that load was 
worth about five tickets. 

Gee whiz! cried the boy; ^^that 
^u^d take us all! '' 


106 


y? Theater T^arty 


He followed the gentleman back to 
the ticket-office, and eagerly watched 
the man behind the little window count 
out five tickets and put them in a pink 
envelope. 

One for you, one for your mother, 
and three for the kids,^^ said his friend, 
as Billy buttoned the treasure in the 
inside pocket of his ragged coat. 

He was so excited that he almost 
forgot his part of the bargain, but as 
the gentleman was turning away he 
remembered. 

Say, mister, where must I take the 
kindlin^ to?^^ 

Oh, that ^s all right; you can sell 
it to-morrow,^^ answered the other. 

Billyhs face fell instantly. If you 
don^t take the kindling I HI have to 
107 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


give you back the tickets. Ma donH 
^low us to take nothin^ that way/^ 

^^But I don^t need the kindling; I 
have n^t any place to put it/^ 

AinH you got no home?^^ .asked 
Billy, incredulously. 

No,^^ answered the man, shortly. 

The idea of any one, in any walk of 
life, not having use for kindling was a 
new one to Billy. But he had no time 
to dwell on it, for this new complica- 
tion demanded all his attention. 

AinH there nobody you could give 
it to? he asked. 

The gentleman was growing impa- 
tient. No, no; go along; that ^s all 
right.^^ 

But Billy knew it would not be all 
right when he got home, so he made 
108 


Theater T^arty 


one more effort. How M you like to 
send it out to Miss Hazy?^^ he in- 
quired. 

Well, Miss Hazy, not having the 
pleasure of my acquaintance, mi^ht 
object to the delicate attention. Who 
is she? I 

She ^s Chrises aunt; they ain^t had 
no fire fer two days.^^ 

Oh ! said the man, heartily, take 
it to Miss Hazy, by all means. Tell 
her it ^s from Mr. Bob, who is worse 
off than she is, for he has nH even a 
home.^^ 

An hour later there was wild excite- 
ment under the only tin roof in the 
Cabbage Patch. Such scrubbing and 
brushing as was taking place! 

It ^s jes like a peetrified air-cas- 
109 


Mrs. tViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


tle/^ said Mrs. Wiggs, as she pressed 
out Asians best dress; here I been 
tbinkin^ ^bout it, an^ wantin^ to go, an^ 
here I am actually gittin^ ^'^ady to goJ 
Come here, child, an^ let me iron out yer 
plaits while the iron ^s good an^ hot/^ 
This painful operation was performed 
only on state occasions; each little 
Wiggs laid her head on the ironing- 
board, a willing sacrifice on the altar 
of vanity, while Mrs. Wiggs carefully 
ironed out five plaits on each head. 
Europena was the only one who ob- 
jected to being a burnt-offering, but 
when she saw the frizzled locks of the 
others, her pride conquered her fear, 
and, holding tight to Billyhs hand, she 
bent her chubby head to the trying 
ordeal. 

1 10 














/? Theater T^arty 


Now, Billy, you run over to Mrs. 
Eichorn^s an^ ast her to loan me her 
black crape veil. Mrs. Krasmier bor- 
rowed it yesterday to wear to her pa^s 
funeral, but I guess she ’s sent it back 
by this time. An\ Billy — Billy, wait 
a minute; you be sure to tell ^em we 
are goin^ to the show.^^ Mrs. Wiggs 
vigorously brushed her hair with the 
clothes-brush as she spoke. Australia 
had thrown the hair-brush down the 
cistern the summer before. 

Asia, you go git the alpaca from 
bebin^ the chest, an^ sorter shake it 
out on the bed.^^ 

Who ^s goin^ to wear it, ma? 
The question came in anxious tones, 
for the blue alpaca had been sent them 
in a bundle of old clothes, and though 
II3 


Mrs* Wiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


it failed to fit either of the ^irls^ the 
wearing of it was a much-coveted 
privilege. 

Well, now, I don^t know,^^ said 
Mrs. Wiggs, critically surveying the 
children ; it wonH button good on you, 
an^ swags in the back on Australia.^^ 

Lemme wear it, ma! 

No, lemme came in excited 
tones. 

Mrs. Wiggs had seen trouble before 
over the blue alpaca; she knew what 
anguish her decision must bring to one 
or the other. 

It really looks best on Asia,^^ she 
thought; ^*but if I let her wear it Aus- 
try U1 have a cryin^ spell an^ git to 
holdin^ her breath, an^ that 41 take up 
so much time.^^ So she added aloud: 
II4 


Jl Theater T^arty 


I tell you what we 41 do. Asia^ 
you kin wear the skirt, an^ Austry kin 
wear the waist/^ 

But when she had pinned the skirt 
over one little ^irFs red calico dress, 
and buttoned the blue waist over the 
clean apron of the other, she looked at 
them dubiously. They do look kinder 
mixed,^^ she admitted to herself, ^^but 
I reckon it don4 matter, so long as 
they Ve both happy.^^ 

Just here Billy came in, with the veil 
in one hand and a bunch of faded car- 
nations in the other. 

Look, ma!^^ he exclaimed, hold- 
ing up his trophy, I swapped 'em with 
Pete fer a top an' a' agate. He got 'em 
outen a' ash-barrel over on the avenue." 

Well, now, ain^t that nice?" said 
II5 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Mrs. Wi^gs. I ^11 jes clip the stems 
an^ put ^em in a bottle of water, an^ 
they ^11 pick up right smart by the time 
we go. I wisht you had somethin^ to 
fix up in, Billy,^^ she added; ^^you look 
as seedy as a raspberry. 

Billy did look rather shabby; his el- 
bows were out, and two of the holes in 
his pants were patched and two were 
not. Mrs. Wiggs was rummaging in 
the table drawer. 

I wisht I could find somethin^ of yer 
pa^s that would do. Here 's his white 
gloves he wore that time he was pall- 
bearer to ole Mr. Bender. Seems to 
me they do wear white gloves to the 
theayter, but I disremember.^^ 

Naw ! I ain^t a-goin^ to wear no 
gloves, said Billy, firmly. 


y? Theater T^arty 


Mrs, Wiggs continued her search. 
Here ^s yer grandpa^s watch-fob, but 
I skeered fer you to wear it, you 
might lose it. It ^s a family remnant — 
been handed down two generations. 
What about this here red comforter? 
It would sorter spruce you up, an^ keep 
you warm, besides; you know you 
bad a cold fer a week, an^ yer pipes is 
all stopped up.^^ So it was decided, 
and Billy wore the comforter. 

At seven o^ clock they were ready, 
and, the news having spread abroad 
that the Wiggses were going to a show, 
many of the neighbors came in to see 
how they looked and to hear how it 
happened. 

^^Some of you all shake down the 
stove an^ pull the door to fer me. I 


Mrs. XJOig^s of the Cabbage ^atch 


am jes that skeered of hurtin^ Mrs. 
Eichorn^s veil I Afraid to turn my 
bead/^ Mrs. Wiggs said nervously, as 
she stepped off the porch. 

The little procession had left the 
railroad tracks far behind, when Mrs. 
Wi^gs stopped suddenly. 

*^Fer the land^s sakes alive! Do 
you know what we ^ve gone an^ done ? 
We have left the theayter tickets to 
home!^^ 

At this Australia began to cry, and a 
gloom settled upon the party. 

Billy, you run back, fast as yer legs 
kin carry you, an^ look in that tin can 
behin^ the clock, an^ we ^11 wait right 
here fer you.^^ Mrs. Wiggs wrapped 
Europena in her shawl, and tried to 
keep up the spirits of the party as they 
118 





4 















* 




« . ‘ 



I 


7 


i 







4 


4 


I 




I 





• 0^ 


t 


» 









$ 







» 



t ■ 


? i ' 



» 


V * 



L 


/? Theater T^arty 


huddled on the curbing to await Billyhs 
return. 

Look how pretty it looks, all the 
lights a-streamin^ out the winders on 
the snow. Looks like a chromo ma 
uster have.^^ 

But the young Wiggses were in no 
frame of mind to appreciate the pictur- 
esqueness of the scene. 

It was very cold, and even the pros- 
pect of the show was dimmed by the 
present discomfort. By and by Aus- 
tralians sobs began anew. 

What the matter, honey ? Don^t 
cry; Billy ^11 be back in a little while, 
an^ then we ^11 git in where it good 
an^ warm.n^ 

want my supper 1^^ wailed Aus- 
tralia. 


I2I 


Mrs* VDiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Then it dawned on Mrs, Wi^gs for 
the first time that, in the excitement of 
preparation, supper had been entirely 
overlooked, 

^^Well, if that don^t beat all!^^ said 
she, I bad jes ^bout as much idea 
of supper as a goat has of kid gloves ! 

But when Billy came flying back 
with the tickets, and the party had 
started once more on the long walk to 
the Opera House, the enticing posters 
began to appear, and supper and the 
cold were forgotten. 


122 


CHAPTER VII 


“MR. BOB" 

If his heart at high floods 

Swamped his brain now and then, 

’ T was but richer for that 
When the tide ebbed again." 

LARGE audience as- 
sembled that ni^ht 
to witness The 
Greatest Extrava- 
ganza of the Cen- 
tury/^ The Opera 
House was a blaze of light and 
colon 

From the recesses of one of the 
boxes, Redding made a careful survey 

123 



Mrs. XViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


of the faces beneath him. First nights 
usually found him there, with the same 
restless, eager look in his eyes. To- 
night he evidently failed to find what 
he sought, and was turning listlessly 
away when he stopped suddenly, bent 
forward, then smiled broadly. He bad 
caught sight of Billyhs red comforter. 

The boy^s hair was plastered close 
to his head, and his face was trans- 
formed by soap and happiness. Red- 
ding glanced quizzically at the rest of 
the party — at the mother^s radiant 
countenance beaming from the dusk of 
her crape veil, at the three little girls 
in their composite costumes, at the car- 
nations pinned on each bosom. Then 
he deliberately turned his back on 
^*The Greatest Extravaganza of the 
124 



T f 





•w » 


4. 




« 





I • 


4 ' 


t 


>■% 




I 











I 



1 



'i 



V 

\ * 

s ' 

I • 

\ • 

I 

’ 




¥ 




Century/^ and centered his attention 
on the parquet group* 

It was a singularly enthusiastic thea- 
ter party, oblivious of surroundings, 
and lost in wonder at the strange sights* 
Billyhs laugh rang out frequently, with 
refreshing spontaneity* Their enjoy- 
ment was so evident that Redding was 
surprised, at the close of the first act, 
to see them put on their wraps and 
march solemnly out of the theater* He 
hastened to the lobby, and touched Billy 
on the shoulder* 

Did n^t you like the show?^^ he 
asked* 

You bet ! said Billy, his eyes shin- 
ing and his cheeks flushed* 

Mrs* Wiggswas hopelessly entangled 
in the crape veil, but her ideas of eti- 
127 


Mrs* ZVig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


quette were ri^id* She disengaged one 
hand and said^ with dignity: Mow 

this is Mn Bob^ Billyhs friend. Happy 
to meet yer acquaintance. Asia, speak 
to the gentleman- — Australia — Euro- 
pena ! with a commanding nod at each. 

Three small bands were thrust at 
Redding simultaneously, and he accom- 
modated them all in his broad palm. 

But why are you going home?^^ he 
asked, looking from one to the other. 

Where else would we go to ? asked 
Mrs. Wiggs, in amazement. 

Why not stay and see the play out? 
That was only the first act.^^ 

Is there some more, ma?^^ asked 
Asia, eagerly. 

Why, of course,^^ explained Red- 
ding, ^Mots more. Now, go back, and 
128 




stay until everybody has left the thea- 
ter, and then you will be certain it ^s 
over/^ 

So back they went, furnishing an 
amusing entr^acte for the impatient au- 
dience. 

After the curtain descended on the 
final tableau. Redding waited in the 
lobby while the stream of people passed. 
The Wiggses had obeyed instructions, 
and were the very last to come out. 
They seemed dazed by their recent 
glimpse into fairy-land. Something in 
their thin bodies and pinched faces 
made Redding form a sudden resolve. 

Billy,^^ he said gravely, ^^can^t you 
and your family take supper with me?^^ 

Billy and his mother exchanged 
doubtful glances; for the past three 
129 


Mrs. tViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


hours everything had been so strange 
and unusual that they were bewildered. 

^^You see, we will go ri^ht over to 
Bond^s and have something to eat be- 
fore you ^o home,^^ ur^ed Redding. 

Mrs. Wi^^s was in great doubt, but 
one of the little girls pulled her skirt 
and said, in pleading tones : Ma, let ^s 
doT^ and Billy was already casting 
longing eyes at the big restaurant 
across the way. She had not the heart 
to refuse. As they were crossing the 
street, Asia stopped suddenly and cried : 

Ma, there ^s the ^Christmas Lady^ 
gittin^ in that hack! She seen us! 
Look!^^ 

But before they could turn the car- 
riage door had slammed. 

Redding took them into a small 
130 




apartment, curtained off from the rest 
of the cafe, so that only the waiters 
commented on the strange party. At 
first there was oppressive silence; then 
the host turned to Europena and asked 
her what she liked best to eat. A mo- 
ment of torture ensued for the small 
lady, during which she nearly twisted 
her thumb from its socket, then she 
managed to gasp: 

Green pupsT^ 

Mr. Bob laughed. Why, you little 
cannibal! he said. What on earth 
does she mean?^^ 

Cream puffs, explained Mrs. 
Wiggs, airily. She et ^em oncet at 
Mrs. Reed^s,tbe Bourbon Stock Yard^s 
wife, an’ she ’s been talkin’ ’bout ’em 
ever sence.” 

I3I 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


After this the ice, while not broken, 
at least had a crack in it, and by the 
time the first course was served Red- 
ding was telling them a funny story, 
and three of the audience were able to 
smile. It had pleased him to order an 
elaborate supper, and be experienced 
the keenest enjoyment over the novelty 
of the situation. The Wiggses ate as 
he had never seen people eat before. 

For speed and durability they break 
the record,^^ was his mental comment. 
He sat by and, with consummate tact, 
made them forget everything but the 
good time they were having. 

As the supper progressed, Mrs. 
Wiggs became communicative. She 
still wore her black cotton gloves, and 

132 








Mr. 


gesticulated with a chicken croquette 
as she talked, 

*^Yes/^ she was saying, ^^Jlrn was 
one of these handy childern; when he 
was eight years old he could peddle as 
good as you could! I guess you heard 
’bout our roof; everybody was talkin’ 
’bout it. Billy is takin’ right after 
him; do you know what that boy has 
gone an’ done? He ’s built bis pa a 
monumint 1 ” 

monument I ” exclaimed Redding. 

^^Yes, sir, a tombstun monumint! I 
was allers a-wishin’ that Mr. Wiggs 
could have a monumint, an’ Billy never 
said a word, but he set his head to it. 
One day he come home with a lot of 
these here tiles what they had throwed 
135 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


out from the tile factVy; some of ^em 
was jes a little nicked, an^ the others 
was jes as ^ood as new. Well, he kep^ 
on ^ittin^ ^em ever^ day or two, till he 
had a considerable pile. Ever^ ni^bt 
he uster set on the floor an^ fool with 
them things, a-fittin^ ^emhere an^ crack- 
in^ ^em off there, but I never paid no 
’tention to him. One night, when I 
come in from Mrs. Eichorn^s, what did 
I see on the floor but a sure-enough 
tombstun slab, an^ spelt out in little 
blue tiles down the middle was: 

^*^Pa. Gone, but not forgotten.^ 

I was jes that pleased I set down an^ 
bust out cryin^. We made a sorter box 
to hold it, an^ chinked it up with cement, 
136 




an^ las^ Sunday me an^ the childern 
took it out an^ fixed it up on Mn 
Wiggs^s grave. Some day we are goin^ 
to make J immy one ; you know J immy 
my boy that 's dead/^ Her eyes filled 
and her lips trembled; even the sun- 
shine of her buoyant nature could not 
dispel one shadow that always lay 
across her heart. 

At this moment Billy, doubtless 
thrilled at being the topic of conversa- 
tion, upset his glass of water, and the 
deluge descended full upon Australia, 
drenching the waist of the blue alpaca. 
Such a wail as arose! Threats and 
persuasion were alike unavailing; she 
even refused to be mopped off, but slid 
in a disconsolate heap under the table. 
Redding attempted to invade the citadel 

137 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


with an orange as a flag of truce^ but 
his overtures were ineffectual, and he 
was compelled to retreat under fire. 

I ^d leave her be, Mr. Bob,^^ ad- 
vised Mrs. Wiggs, placidly, as she 
spread her salad on a piece of bread. 
^^She ^11 git to holdin^ her breath if you 
notice her.^^ 

The shrieks gradually diminished to 
spasmodic sobs, which in turn gave 
place to ominous silence. 

Billy,^^ said Redding, taking Mrs. 
Wiggs^s advice and ignoring the flood 
sufferer, how would you like to be my 
office-boy ^ 

I 'd like it a heap,^^ answered Billy, 
promptly. 

Redding turned to Mrs. Wiggs. 
^^You see, it ^s a newspaper office, 
138 


Mr. 


and while the pay is n^t much at first, 
still it ^s better than peddling kindling, 
and there would be a chance for promo- 
tion as he got older/^ 

^*Oh, yes,^^ answered Mrs. Wiggs, 
complacently; there would n^t be no 
trouble ^bout Billy promotin\ I ^spect 
he could take to writin^ newspapers 
right away, if you could hole him down 
to it. He ^s jes like bis pa — the very 
spittin^ image of him! Mr. Wiggs was 
so educated — the most fluent man in 
jography I ever seenT^ 

I ^m goin^ to be like Mr. Bob when 
I grow up,^^ said Billy, stoutly. His 
recollection of his paternal parent was 
not the sort ideals are made of. 

J ust here the waiter appeared with the 
final course, and Asia lifted the table- 
139 


Mrs, ZViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


cloth and whispered, ^^Say, ^Straly, 
we ^ve got ice-cream/^ No answer. 
Then little Europena, with baby wis- 
dom, put her tow head under the cloth, 
and said, ^Traly, it ^s pink ! and Aus- 
tralia emerged, tear-stained but smiling, 
and finished her supper on Mr. Bob^s 
knee. 

When the limit of capacity had been 
tested to the fullest, and Billy had de- 
clared that ^^he could n^t swaller no 
more, he was jes chawinV^ Redding 
filled their pockets with candy and, 
when Mrs. Wiggs was not looking, put 
a quarter in each hand. Then he rang 
for a carriage, and, in spite of Mrs. 
Wiggs^s protestations, he put them in, 
and repeated Billyhs directions as to the 
exact location of the Cabbage Patch. 

MO 


Mr^ 


My, my, ain^t this nice ! said Mrs. 
Wig^s, leaning back against carriage 
cushions for the first time in her life, 
while Redding lifted Europena in be- 
side her. 

We^ ve seed a good time fer oncet in 
our lives,^^ said Asia. It was the first 
time she had spoken since they left the 
theater. 

Lemme ride up on top, ma!^^ de- 
manded Billy, eagerly. 

Lemme, too, lemme!^^ came from 
the sleepy Australia, who did not know 
what new attraction was being offered, 
but was resolved not to miss anything. 

^^All right, Billy; but, Austry, you 
must stay with ma. Good-by, Mr. Bob, 
an^ thanks — thanks fer one an^ all!^^ 
Redding stood on the corner where 
MI 


8 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


they had left him^ and the smile died 
out of his face. Within a block was 
a jolly crowd and a hearty welcome; 
across the street was the big apartment 
house where his dark and cheerless 
window promised him nothing. For a 
moment he stood irresolute. There 
is certainly nobody to care where I 
go/^ he thought gloomily; then sud- 
denly the smile came back. But if 
I ^m to be Billy Wiggs^s model, I guess 
I M better go to bed.^^ He ran lightly 
across the street, and up the broad 
stone steps. 


142 


CHAPTER VIII 

MRS. WIGGS AT HOME 

‘ ‘ She had a sunny nature that sought, like 
a flower in a dark place, for the light." 

N Christmas day Lucy 
Olcott stood by the 
library window, and 
idly scratched initials 
on the frosty pane. 
A table full of beau- 
tiful ^ifts stood near, and a ^reat bunch 
of long-stemmed roses on the piano filled 
the room with fragrance. But Lucy 
evidently found something more con- 
genial in the dreary view outside. She 
was deep in thought when the door 
143 



Mrs, VOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


opened and Aunt Chloe came in with 
a basket and a note* 

The old darky grinned as she put the 
basket on the floor. You mi^ht ^a^ 
knowed it wuz fum dem Wiggses/^ she 
said. 

Lucy opened the note and read: 

Dear miss Lucy the basket of cloths and vittles 
come. We or so mutch obliged, and asia wore the 
read dress to the soshul and enjoyed her selph so. 
Much I wish you could a went. Billy liked his 
hock and ladar and romcandons. Me and the 
childern want to send you a crismas mess of some 
of all we lade in for to live on. They is pertaters 
2 kines, onions, termaters, a jar vineger and a jar 
perservs. I boughten the peeches last sumer, 
they was gitting a little rotting so I got them cheep. 
Hope you will Enjoy them. I send some of all 
we got but Cole and Flower. Thankes thankes to 
you for your kind fealings. 

From yours no more 

“Mrs. Wiggs” 


M4 


Mrs* ZViggs at Home 


Bless her old heart cried Lucy; 

that ^s the bi^^est widow^s mite I 
ever saw. Put the basket there with 
my other presents, Aunt Chloe; it ^s 
worth them all/^ 

She went over to the fire, and held 
her hands to the friendly blaze; there 
was a restless, discontented look in her 
eyes that proved only too plainly that 
her Christmas was not a happy one. 

I wish it was night,^^ she said. I 
hate Christmas afternoon! Mother is 
asleep; it ^s too early for callers* I 
believe I 41 go down to the Cabbage 
Patch.^^ 

Aunt Chloe stuck out her lip and 
rolled her eyes. in deprecation. 

Don^ you do it, honey. What you 
wanter be foolin^ round wif dat po^ 
145 


Mrs^ XViggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


white trash fer ? Why don^ you set 
heah by de fiah an^ bleach yer han^s 
fer de party to-ni^ht?^^ 

Bother the old party said Lucy, 
impatiently. She had be^un disobey- 
ing Aunt Chloe when she was a very 
little girl. 

Fifteen minutes later she was tramp- 
ing through the snow, her cheeks glow- 
ing and her spirits rising. The Wiggses, 
while always interesting, had of late ac- 
quired a new significance. Since seeing 
them in the theater lobby with Robert 
Redding she had found it necessary to 
make several visits to the Cabbage 
Patch, and the chief topic of conversa- 
tion had been Mr. Bob: how he had 
taken them to the show; had made 
Billy his office-boy; had sent them a 
M6 


Mrs. XViggs at Home 


barrel of apples, and was coming to see 
them some day. To which deluge of 
information Lucy had listened with 
outward calmness and inward thrills. 

To-day, as she entered the Wiggses^ 
gate, a shout greeted her. Billy let him- 
self down from the chicken-coop roof, 
and ran forward. 

Them Roman candles was n^t no 
good!^^ he cried. ^^One of ^em busted 
too soon, and ^most blowed my hand 
off.^^ 

Oh, no, it did nH, Miss Lucy ! said 
Mrs. Wiggs, who had hastened out to 
meet her. Them Roman candons was 
fine. Billyhs hand was n^t so bad hurt 
he could nH shoot his gum-bow shooter 
an^ break Mrs. Krasmier^s winder- 
pane. I U1 be glad when to-morrow 
147 


Mrs. VUiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


comes, an^ he goes back to the office! 
Come right in/^ she continued, Asia, 
dust off a cheer fer Miss Lucy, That ^s 
right; now, lemme help you off with 
yer things,^^ 

Lemme hold the muff cried Aus- 
tralia, 

^^No, me — me!^^ shrieked Euro- 
pena, 

A center rush ensued, during which 
the muff was threatened with immediate 
annihilation. The umpire interfered. 

Australia Wiggs, you go set in the 
corner with yer face to the wall, Euro- 
pena, come here I She lifted the wail- 
ing little girl to her lap, and looked her 
sternly in the eye, If you don^t hush 
this minute, I HI spank your doll! 

The awful threat was sufficient, Mrs. 

148 



% 




' 


I 



^*'iJ .w- ' I * '4r^ ♦ ‘'‘' 

p'v* 

^ t ^ 


I' 





.f 





(V*»v • _ .j 


►* 








.•ft 


k 







* ^ ... ■■:•> •_ « 1 

’J- 

/ «'. / vt ' 


*' <* ' - iTfli ' , 

' t j . 

■• ’ IJ • »i* •!,__ 


J ^ 


J 


( k-^- ■ ^ Iter .' 


*■■'■ -^p^. \ ,<f 


■ « *• 


:A ^ . 


.1 



:••■ t£ \ *■'»' 




**• 


• ~‘ I " % ^ 

Kv»li|t - Sit p< ;d g 




Mrs. VDiggs at Home 


Wi^^s had lon^ agodiscovered themost 
effectual way of punishing Europena. 

When peace was restored, Lucy 
looked about hen In each window 
was a piece of holly tied with a bit of 
red calico, and on the partly cleared 
table she saw the remains of a real 
Christmas dinner. 

^^We bad a grand dinner to-day,^^ 
said Mrs. Wiggs, following her glance. 

Mr. Bob sent the turkey; we et all we 
wanted, an^ got ^nough left fer the rest 
of the week, countin^ bash an^ soup an^ 
all. Asia says she ^s goin^ to hide it, 
so as I canH give no more away. By 
the way, do you notice what Asia 's 
doin^?^^ 

Lucy went to the window, where 
Asia was busily working. This taci- 


Mrs. ZSDig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


turn little girl, with her old, solemn 
face and clever fingers, was her favor- 
ite of the children, 

^^What are you making? she asked, 
as the child dipped a brush into one of 
three cans which stood before ben 
She ^s paintin^ a picture,^^ an- 
nounced Mrs,Wiggs, proudly, Looked 
like she was jes crazy ^bout picture- 
painting an^ I said, ^ Well, Asia, if you 
have made up yer mind to be a^ artist, 
guess you U1 have to be one,^ Seems 
like when folks kin do pianner-playin^ 
an^ picture-paintin^ it ain^t right to let 
^em wash dishes an^ clean up all the 
time. So I went to a store an^ ast fer 
some paint to make pictures with, an^ 
they wanted seventy cents fer a little 
box full, Ain^t that a mighty heap, 
152 


Mrs* ZViggs at Home 


Miss Lucy, jes fer plain paint, ^fore 
it ^s made up into flowers an^ trees an^ 
things? Well, anyway, I could n^t ^it 
it, but I come home an^ got me three tin 
cans an^ took ^em round to Mn Beck- 
er^s paint-shop, an^ he poured me a lit- 
tle red an^ yaller an^ blue, an^ only 
charged me a nickel, an^ throwed in a 
brush, Asia ^s painted a heap with it. 
I Ml show you some of her things.^^ 

It was not necessary, for in every 
direction Lucy looked her eyes were 
greeted with specimens of Asians handi- 
work. Across the foot-board of the bed 
was a spray of what might have passed 
for cauliflower, the tin boiler was en- 
circled by a wreath of impressionistic 
roses, and on the window-pane a piece 
of exceedingly golden goldenrod bent 

153 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


in an obli^in^ curve in order to cover 
the crack in the glass. 

^Mt ^s perfectly wonderful said 
Lucy, with entire truthfulness. 

^^Ain^t it?^^ said Mrs. Wiggs, with 
the awed tone one uses in the presence of 
genius. Sometimes I jes can^t hUieve 
my eyes, when I see what my childern 
kin do! They inherit their education 
after Mr. Wiggs; he was so smart, 
an^ hHonged to such a fine famhly. 
Why, Mr. Wiggs had real Injun hlood 
in his veins; his grandpa was a 
squaw — a full-hlood Injun squaw! 

Lucy made a heroic effort to keep a 
solemn face, as she asked if Asia looked 
like him. 

**Oh, my, no!^^ continued Mrs. 
Wiggs. He was a hlunette, real dark 
154 


t 







Mrs. XSJiggs at Home 


complected. I remember when he fus^ 
come a-courtin^ me folks thought he 
was a Dago. Pa was n^t to say well 
off in those days.^^ Mrs. Wiggs never 
applied superlatives to misfortunes. 

He had a good many of us to take 
keer of, an^ after Mr. Wiggs had been 
keepin^ company with me fer ^bout two 
weeks he drove up one night with a 
load of coal an^ kindling an^ called pa 
out to the fence. ^ Mr. Smoot/ sez he, 
^ as long as I am courtin^ yer daughter, 
I think I orter furnish the fire to do it 
by. Ef you don^t mind,^ sez he, ^ I Ml jes 
put this wagon-load of fuel in the coal- 
house. I ^spect by the time it 's used 
up Nance Ml be of my way of think- 
ink^ An^ I was!^^ added Mrs. Wiggs, 
laughing. 


157 


Mrs. ZVig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


Ordinarily Lucy found endless diver- 
sion in listening to the family reminis- 
cences^ but to-day another subject was 
on her mind. 

^^How is Billy getting along? she 
asked. 

^^Jes fine!^^ said Mrs. Wiggs; ^^only 
he comes home at night ^most dead. I 
give him money to ride^ but ever^ day 
las^ week he et up his nickel. 

^^Wbo — who has charge of him 
now?^^ Lucy blushed at her subter- 
fuge. 

^^Mr. Bob/^ said Mrs. Wiggs; ^^he^s 
the gentleman that took us to supper. 
He ^s got money. Asia said he give the 
nigger waiter a quarter. Billy is jes 
crazy ^bout Mr. Bob; says he ^s goin^ 
to be jes like him when he grows up. 

158 


Mrs. VOi^^s at Home 


He will^ toOy if he sets his head to it! 
Only he never kin have them bi^ brown 
eyes an^ white teeth Mn Bob ^s ^ot. 
Why, when Mn Bob smiles it jes sort 
of breaks up his whole face/^ 

Lucy^s eyes were fixed on the mam- 
moth butterfly upon whose iridescent 
wings Asia was putting the finishing 
touches, but her thoughts were far 
away. 

jes wisht you could see himT^ 
went on Mrs. Wiggs, enthusiastically. 

wish I could said Lucy, with 
such fervor that Mrs. Wiggs paused on 
her way to answer a knock at the out- 
side door. 

There was a scraping of feet in the 
passage. 

I have been driving all over the 

159 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


country looking for you/^ said a man^s 
voice. I have some Christmas traps 
for the kids.^^ 

Lucy rose hastily^ and turned just as 
Redding entered. 

Mr. Bob, this is Miss Lucy/^ an- 
nounced Mrs. Wi^gs, triumphantly; 
^*she was jes lowin^ she ^d like to see 

If a blue-eyed angel straight from 
the peaks of paradise had been pre- 
sented to him, Redding could not have 
been more astounded nor more enrap* 
tured. 

But to Lucy it was a moment of in- 
tense chagrin and embarrassment. Dur- 
ing the long silence of the past year she 
had persuaded herself that Redding 
160 


Mrs* ZViggs at Home 


no longer cared for hen To be thrust 
upon him in this way was intolerable* 
All the blood in her veins rushed to 
her face* 

Do you know where my muff is, 
Mrs* Wiggs?^^ she asked, after a formal 
greeting* 

^^Oh! you ainH a-goin^?^^ asked the 
hostess, anxiously* I wanted you all 
to git acquainted* 

^^Yes, I must go,^^ said Lucy, hur- 
riedly, ^Mf you will find my muff*^^ 

She stood nervously pulling on her 
gloves, while Mrs* Wiggs searched for 
the lost property* There was a deafen- 
ing tumult in her heart, and though she 
bit her lips to keep from laughing, the 
tears stood in her eyes* 


Mrs. ZlDig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


^^Austry under the bed/^ announced 
Europena^ who had joined in the quest. 

ain^t!^^ came in shrill, indignant 
tones, as Mrs. Wiggs dra^^ed forth the 
culprit and restored the muff. 

** May I drive you over to the ave- 
nue? I am ^oin^ that way.^^ It was 
Reddin^^s voice, but it sounded queer 
and unnatural. 

^^Oh, no! No, thank you,^^ gasped 
Lucy, hardly knowing what she said. 
Her one idea was to get away before 
she broke down completely. 

Redding held the door open as she 
passed out. His face was cold, calm, 
inscrutable; not a quiver of the mouth, 
not a flutter of the lids, but the light 
went out of his eyes and hope died in 
his heart. 


162 


Mrs. VDi^^s at Home 


Mrs. Wi^gs stood watching the scene 
in perplexity. 

I dunno what ailed Miss Lucy/^ she 
said apologetically; ^^hope it was n^t 
the toothache.^^ 


163 


CHAPTER IX 


HOW SPRING CAME TO THE CAB- 
BAGE PATCH 


‘ The roads, the woods, the heavens, the hills, 
Are not a world to-day — 

But just a place God made for us 
In which to play." 


HEN the last snow 
of the winter had 
melted, and the 
water was no 
longer frozen 
about the corner 
pump, the commons lost their hard 
brown look, and a soft green tinge ap- 
peared instead. There were not many 
ways of telling when spring came to the 
164 



Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


Cabbage Patch ; no trees shook forth 
their glad little leaves of welcome, no 
anemones and snowdrops brought the 
gentle message, even the birds that 
winged their way from the South-land 
hurried by, without so much as a chirp 
of greeting. 

But the Cabbage Patch knew it was 
spring, nevertheless; something whis- 
pered it in the air, a dozen little signs 
gave the secret away: weeds were 
springing up in the fence corners, the 
puddles which a few months ago were 
covered with ice now reflected bits of 
blue sky, and the best token of all was 
the bright, warm sunshine that clung 
to the earth as if to love it back into 
beauty and life again. 

One afternoon Mrs. Wiggs stood at 

165 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


her gate talking to Redding, It was 
the first time he had been there since 
Christmas day, for his first visit had 
been too painful for him to desire to 
repeat it. 

^^Yes, indeed, Billy kin go,^^ Mrs. 
Wiggs was saying. I ^m mighty glad 
you drove him by home to git on his 
good coat. He never was to the fair 
grounds before; it 11 be a big treat. 
How 's Mr. Dick to-day? 

No better,^^ said Redding; ^^be 
coughed all night.^^ 

He was takin^ a nap o^ sleep when 
I went to clean up this morninV^ said 
Mrs. Wiggs, ^*so I did nH disturb him. 
He ain^t fer long, pore feller 

^^No, poor chap,^’ said Redding, 
sadly. 


166 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


Mrs. Wi^gs saw the shadow on his 
face, and hastened to change the sub- 
ject. ^^What do you think of Asians 
fence she asked. 

What about it?^^ 

She done it herself/^ said Mrs. 
Wiggs. ^^That an’ the pavement, too. 
Mrs. Krasmier’s goat et up her flowers 
las’ year, an’ this year she ’lowed she’d 
fix it different. Chris Hazy, that boy 
over yonder with the peg-stick, helped 
her dig the post-holes, but she done 
the rest herself.” 

^^Well, she is pretty clever!” said 
Redding, almost incredulously, as he 
examined the fence and sidewalk. 

How old is she?” 

Fourteen, goin’ on to fifteen. Asia, 
come here.” 


167 


Mrs. ZSDi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


The girl left the flower-bed she was 
diggings and came forward. 

Not a very big girl^ are you?^^ said 
Redding, smiling at hen How would 
you like to go up to the tile factory, and 
learn to do decorating? 

Her serious face lit up with great 
enthusiasm; she forgot her shyness, 
and said eagerly: ^^Oh, yes, sir! 
Could 

Before Redding could answer, Mrs. 
Wiggs broke in: 

You ^d begittin^ a^ artist, Mr. Bob! 
Them fingers of hers kin do anything. 
Last fall she built that there little green- 
house out of ole planks, an^ kep^ it full 
of flowers all winter; put a lamp in 
durin^ the cold spell. You orter see the 
things she ^s painted. An^ talk about 
168 







% 


1 








• • I 


9 


r 








> 





4 


r 


A 




a 


f 




« I 


4 . 


« 




f 


' 




I* 


* 


% 


1 


I 

i> 


I 


I 

r 


- -I 


t 


I 


I 


< 







» 


« 


« 


1 


t 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


mud pictures ! She could jes take some 
of that there mud under that bosses feet, 
an^ make it look so much like you, you 
would n^t know which was which/^ 

Billyhs appearance at this moment 
saved Redding from immediate dis- 
grace. 

^*You come to the office with Billy 
in the morning,^ ^ he called to Asia, as 
they started off; ^^we U1 see what can 
be done.^^ 

Asia went back to her digging with 
a will ; the prospect of work, of learn- 
ing bow to do things right, and, above 
all, of learning how to paint, filled her 
with happiness. 

If I was you I M make that bed in 
the shape of a star,^^ said her mother, 
breaking in on her reflections. ^^Wby 
I7I 


Mrs. ZJDiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


donH you make it a mason star? Yer 
pa was a fine mason; it would be a 
sorter compelment to him/^ 

^^What is a mason star like?^^ asked 
Asia. 

Well, now I ain^t ri^ht sure whether 
it ^s ^ot five points or six. Either way 
will do. Lands alive, I do believe there 
comes Miss Lucy!^^ 

Lucy Olcott had been a frequent 
visitor of late. Through Mrs. Wiggs 
she had gotten interested in Mrs. 
Schultz, and often stopped in to read 
to the bedridden old lady. Here, of 
course, she heard a great deal about 
the Eichorns, the elite of the Cabbage 
Patch, whose domestic infelicities fur- 
nished the chief interest in Mrs. 
Schultz^s life. Lucy had even stood 
172 


- Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


on a chair, at the invalid^s earnest re- 
quest, to count the jars of preserves in 
the Eichorn pantry. Later she had 
become acquainted with Miss Hazy, 
the patient little woman in monochrome, 
whose whole pitiful existence was an 
apology when it might have been a 
protest. 

In fact, Lucy became an important 
personage in the neighborhood. She 
was sought for advice, called upon for 
comfort, and asked to share many joys. 
Her approach was usually heralded by 
a shout, ^^That ^s her a-cominM^^ and 
she was invariably escorted across the 
commons by a guard of ragged but de- 
voted youngsters. And the friendship 
of these simple people opened her eyes 
to the great problems of humanity, and 
173 


Mrs^ ZJDiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


as she worked among them and knew 
life as it was, the hard little bud of her 
girlhood blossomed into the great soft 
rose of womanhood. 

Did n^t you meet Mr. Bob up the 
street? asked Mrs. Wiggs, as she led 
the way into the kitchen. Him an^ 
Billy have jes left, goin^ out to the 
fair grounds. Mr. Bob 's jes natchally 
the best man I ever set eyes on. Miss 
Lucy! Got the biggest heart, an^ al- 
ways doin^ somethin^ kind fer folks. 
Jes now talkin^ ^bout gittin^ Asia a 
place at the tile factVy. I don^t see 
how you missed ^em I If he M ^a^ sawn 
you with them violets in yer belt, an^ 
them roses in yer cheeks, I bet he 
would nH ^a^ went.^^ 

^*Oh, yes, he would I said Lucy, 
174 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


emphatically* My roses don^t appeal 
to Mr* Bob*^^ 

*^Well^ he likes yer eyes, anyway/^ 
said Mrs* Wi^gs, determined to carry 
her point* 

^^Who said so?^^ demanded Lucy* 
He did* I ast him* I said they 
was regular star-eyes, jes shinin^ blue 
with them black eyelashes rayin^ out 
all round, an^ he said yes, that was the 
right name fer ^em — star-eyes*^^ 
There was a mist over the star-eyes 
as Lucy turned away* 

^^That ^s right; set right down there 
by the winder* It ^s so pretty out to- 
day it makes yer feel good clean down 
yer back*^^ 

I believe you always feel that 
way,^^ said Lucy, pulling off her 
175 


Mrs. ZVig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


gloves. DonH you ever worry over 
things? 

Mrs. Wiggs grew serious. 
lonesome fer Jimmy all the time/^ she 
said simply. ^^Some folks goes right 
under when trouble comes^ but I carry 
mine fur an^ easy.^^ 

I donH mean grieving/^ said Lucy; 

I mean worrying and fretting.^ ^ 
^^Well^ admitted Mrs. Wiggs, 

taking a hot iron from the stove, ^ve 
done that, too. I remember oncet last 
winter I was tooken sick, an^ I got to 
pesterin^ ^bout what the childern ^u^d do 
if I died. They was n^t no money in 
the house, an^ they did n^t know where 
to git none. All one night I laid there 
with my head ^most busting jes worry- 
in^ Tout it. By an^ by I was so miser- 
176 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


able I ast the Lord what I mus’ do^ an’ 
he tole me.” There was absolute con- 
viction in her tone and manner. Nex’ 
morning” she went on, ^^soon ’s I could 
I went over to the ’spensary an’ ast fer 
the chief doctor. 

Doctor,’ I sez, Mon’t you buy 
corpses?’ 

Yes,’ sez he, lookin’ kinder funny. 

^^^Well,’ sez I, want to sell mine.’ 

^^Then I tole him all ’bout it, an’ ast 
him if he would n’t take my body after 
I was gone, an’ give the money to the 
childern. 

Will you put it in writin’?’ sez he. 

^ Yes,’ sez I, Mf you ’ll do the same.’ 

^^So he drawed up the papers, an’ 
we both signed, an’ a man with a spine 
in his back an’ a lady with therheumatiz 
177 


Mrs. ZVi^^s of the Cabbage ^atch 


witnessed it. So you see/^ concluded 
Mrs. Wiggs, did nH die; you mark 
my words, it ain^t never no use puttin^ 
up yer umbrelF till it rains 

Lucy laughed. Well, you certainly 
practise what you preach. 

^^Not always,^^ said Mrs. Wiggs. 

I ^m ^feard I uster worry some over 
Mr. Wiggs. TVards the last he uster 
pretty often — Here Mrs. Wiggs 
tipped an imaginary bottle to her lips, 
and gave Lucy a significant wink. 
Even in the strictest confidence, she 
could not bear to speak of the weak- 
ness of the late lamented. 

^^But no matter how bad he done, he 
always tried to do better. Mr. Dick 
sorter puts me in mind of him ^bout 
that.^^ 


178 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


^^Who is Mn Dick?^^ 

He Mn Bob^s friend. Stays 
at his rooms sence he was took 
down/^ 

^Hs Mn Redding sick?^^ asked 
Lucy, the color suddenly leaving her 
face, 

^^No, it ^s Mr, Dick; he 's con- 
sumpted, I clean up his room ever^ 
mornin\ He coughs all the time, jes 
like Mr, Wiggs done. Other day he 
had a^ orful time while I was there, I 
wanted to git him some whisky, but he 
shuck his head, H ^m on the water- 
cart,^ sez he, ^ Bob 's drivin^ it,^ He 
ain^t no fatter ^n a knitting-needle, an^ 
weaker ^n water. You orter see him 
watch fer Mr, Bob! He sets by the 
winder, all propped up with pillars, an’ 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


never tecks his eyes of fen that corner. 
An^ when Mr. Bob comes in an^ sets 
down by him an^ tells him what ^s ^oin^ 
on, an^ sorter fools with him a spell, 
looks like he picks up right off. He 
ain^tgot no folks nor nothin^ — jes Mr. 
Bob. He shorely does set store by him 
— jes shows it ever^ way. That ^s 
right, too. I hole that it ^s wrong to 
keep everything bottled up inside you. 
Yer feelinys is like raspberry vineger: 
if you ^re skeered to use ^em an^ keep 
on savin^ ^em, first thing you know 
they ^ve done ^vaporated! 

Lucy^s experience had proved the 
contrary, but she smiled bravely back 
at Mrs. Wiggs, with a new tenderness 
in her face. 

You have taught me lotsof things! 

180 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


she said impulsively. You are one of 
the best and happiest women I know.^^ 
^^Well, I guess I ainH the best by a 
long sight, but I may be the happiest. 
An^ I got cause to be : four of the smart- 
est cbildern that ever lived, a nice 
house, fair to middlin^ health when I 
ainH got the rheumatiz, an^ folks al- 
ways goin^ clean out of the way to be 
good to me ! Ain^t that ^nough to make 
a person happy? I 'll be fifty years old 
on the Fourth of July, but I hole there 
ain^t no use in dyin^ ^fore yer time. 
Lots of folks is walkin^ round jes as 
dead as they 'll ever be. I bUieve in 
gittin^ as much good outen life as you 
kin — not that I ever set out to look fer 
happiness; seems like the folks that 
does that never finds it. I jes do the 
I8I 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


best I kin where the ^ood Lord put me 
at, an^ it looks like I ^ot a happy feelin^ 
in me ^most all the time/^ 

Lucy sat silent for a while, gazing out 
of the window* Mrs* Wi^gs^s philos- 
ophy was having its effect* Presently 
she rose and untied the bundle she held* 
Here is a dress I brought for Asia,’' 
she said, shaking out the folds of a soft 
crepon* 

Umpb, umph ! Ain’t that grand?” 
exclaimed Mrs* Wiggs, coming from 
behind the ironing-board to examine it* 
It does seem lucky that your leavin’s 
jes fits Asia, an’ Asia’s jes fits Austry; 
there ain’t no symptoms of them bein’ 
handed down, neither! We all model 
right after you, but it looks like Asia ’s 
the only one that ketches yer style* 
182 


Spring at the Cabbage Thatch 


Oh^ must you she added, as Lucy 
picked up her gloves, 

^^Yes; I promised Mrs. Schultz to 
read to her this afternoon/^ 

^^Well, stop in on yer way back — 
I have a little present ready fer you/^ 
It was an unwritten law that no ^uest 
should depart without a ^ift of some 
kind. Sometimes it was one of Asians 
paintings, again it was a package of 
sunflower seed, or a bottle of vinegar, 
and once Lucy had taken home four 
gourds and a bunch of paper roses. 

I declare I never will git no work 
done if this weather keeps up!^^ said 
Mrs. Wiggs, as she held the gate open. 

If I was n^t so stove up, an^ nobody 
was n^t looking I ^d jes skitter round 
this here yard like a colt!^^ 

183 


CHAPTER X 

AUSTRALIA’S MISHAP 

is one thing to be tempted, 

Another thing to fall. ’ ’ 

H ROUGH the long, 
sunny afternoon Mrs, 
Wiggs sang over her 
ironing, and Asia 
worked diligently in 
her flower-bed. 
Around the corner of the shed which 
served as Cubans dwelling-place, Aus- 
tralia and Europena made mud-pies. 
Peace and harmony reigned in this 
184 



/lustralia^s Mishap 


shabby Garden of Eden until tempta- 
tion entered, and the weakest felL 

ain^t no fun jes keepin^ on makin^ 
mud-pies/^ announced Australia, after 
enough pastry had been manufactured 
to start a miniature bakery. 

^^Wisht we could make some white 
cakes, like they have at Mr. Bagby^s,^^ 
said Europena. 

Could if we had some whitewash. 
I U1 tell you what 's let do ! Let ^s take 
some of Asians paint she 's goin^ to 
paint the fence with, an^ make ^em 
green on top.^^ 

^^Ma would n^t like it,^^ protested 
Europena; besides, I don^t want my 
little pies green.'' 

I 'm goin' to," said Australia, be- 
ginning her search for the paint-can. 
185 


Mrs. ZSOi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


won^t take but a little teeny bit; 
they U1 never miss it/^ 

After some time the desired object 
was discovered on a shelf in the shed* 
Its high position enhanced its value, 
giving it the cruel fascination of the 
unattainable. 

Could you stand up on my soldiers, 
like the man at the show?^^ demanded 
Australia. 

I ^d fall off,^^ said Europena. 
^^^Fraid-cat! taunted her sister, in 
disgust. Do you reckon you could 
hole the chair while I climbed up on the 
back?^^ 

It ain^t got no bottom. 

Well, it don^t need to have no bot- 
tom if I ^m goin^ to stand on its back,^^ 
said Australia, sharply. Leaders of 
186 


/Justralia^s Mishap 


great enterprises must of necessity turn 
deaf ears to words of discouragement, 
^*You might git killed/^ persisted 
Europena, 

would n^t matter/^ said Austra- 
lia, loftily; ^*^t would n^t be but the 
seventh time, I got three more times 
to die. ’Fore you was horned I was 
drownded out in the country, that was 
one time; then I fell in the ash-bar’l and 
was dead, that ’s two times; an’ — an’ 
then I et the stove-polish, that ’s four 
times; an’ I can’t ’member but the nex’ 
time will be seven, I don’t keer how 
much I git killed, till it ’s eight times, 
then I ’m goin’ to be good all the time, 
’cause when you are dead nine times 
they put you in a hole an’ throw dirt 
on you! ” 


187 


Mrs^ VOi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Australia had become so absorbed in 
her theory of reincarnation that she had 
forgotten the paint, but the bottomless 
chair recalled it. 

Now, you lay ^crost the chair, Euro- 
pena, an^ I ^11 climb up,^^ she com- 
manded. 

Europena, though violently opposed 
to the undertaking, would not forsake 
her leader at a critical moment. She 
had uttered her protest, had tried in 
vain to stem the current of events ; no- 
thing was left her now but to do or die. 
She valiantly braced her small body 
across the frame of the chair, and Aus- 
tralia began her perilous ascent. 

Cuba looked mildly astonished as the 
plump figure of the little girl appeared 
above his feed-box. 


188 






/lustralia^s Mishap 


** I ^ve ^most ^ot it ! cried Australia, 
reaching as high as possible, and get- 
ting her forefinger over the edge of the 
big can. 

At this juncture Cuba, whose nose 
had doubtless been tickled by Austra- 
lians apron-string, gave a prodigious 
sneeze. Europena, feeling that retribu- 
tion was upon them, fled in terror. The 
ballast being removed from the chair, 
the result was inevitable. A crash, a 
heterogeneous combination of small 
girl, green paint, and shattered chair, 
then a series of shrieks that resembled 
the whistles on New Yearns eve! 

Redding was the first to the rescue. 
He had just driven Billy to the gate 
when the screams began, and with a 
bound he was out of the buggy and 

I91 


Mrs. ZVig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


rushing to the scene of disasten The 
picture that met his eyes staggered him. 
Australia, screaming wildly, lay in what 
appeared to his excited vision to be a 
pool of green blood; Europena was 
jumping up and down beside her, call- 
ing wildly for her mother, while Cuba, 
with ears erect and a green liquid 
trickling down his nose, sternly sur- 
veyed the wreck. In a moment Red- 
ding had Australia in his arms, and 
was mopping the paint from her face 
and hair. 

There, there, little sister, you are n^t 
much hurt!^^ he was saying, as Mrs. 
Wiggs and Asia rushed in. 

The damage done proved external 
rather than internal, so after assuring 
herself that no bones were broken Mrs. 

192 


Australians Mishap 


Wiggs constituted herself a salvage 
corps. 

^^Take off yer coat out here, Mr. 
Bob, an^ I ^11 take off Austry^s dress. 
Them 's the worst, ^ceptin^ her plaits. 
Now, we all go up to the kitchen, 
an^ see what kin be did.^^ 

Now, Fate, or it may have been the 
buggy at the gate, decreed that just as 
they turned the corner of the house 
Lucy Olcott should be coming up the 
walk. For a moment she stood bewil- 
dered at the sight that greeted her. 
Redding, in his shirt sleeves, was lead- 
ing Australia by the hand; the little 
girl wore a red-flannel petticoat, and 
over her face and hands and to the full 
length of her flaxen braids ran sticky 
streams of bright green paint. 

193 


Mrs. VDig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


Involuntarily, Lucy looked at Red- 
ding for explanation, and they both 
laughed. 

^^AinH it lucky it was the back of 
her head ^stid of the front? said Mrs. 
Wiggs, coming up; ^Mt might ^a^ put 
her eyes out. Pore chile, she looks like 
a Mollygraw! Come right in, an^ let 's 
git to work.^^ 

Billy was despatched for turpentine; 
Lucy, with an apron pinned about her, 
began operations on Australians hair, 
while Redding sat helplessly by, wait- 
ing for Mrs. Wiggs to make his coat 
presentable. 

I am afraid her hair will have to be 
cut,nn said Lucy, ruefully, as she held 
up a tangled snarl of yellow and green. 

^^All right,nn Mrs. Wiggs said 

194 









Australians Mishap 


promptly. Whatever you say is all 
right/ ^ 

But Australia felt differently; her 
sobs, suppressed for a time, broke forth 
afresh. 

I ain^t goin^ to have my hair cut 
off!^^ she wept. Jes leave it on this 
away.^^ 

Mrs. Wiggs commanded and Lucy 
entreated in vain. Finally Redding 
drew his chair up in front of the small 
girl. 

Australia, listen to me just a mo- 
ment, won^t you? Please 

She uncovered one eye. 

^^You would n^t want green hair, 
would you?^^ 

A violent shake of the head. 

Well, if you will let Miss Olcott cut 

197 


Mrs. VOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


off all that ugly green hair, and give 
the pretty curls a chance to grow back, 
I U1 give you — let see, what shall I 
give you?^^ 

doll-buggy an^ dishes, sug- 
gested Europena, who was standing by, 
^^Yes,^^ he said, ^Moll-buggy and 
dishes, and a dollar besides 

Such munificence was not to be with- 
stood. Australia suffered herself to be 
shorn, in view of the future tempering 
of the wind. 

You orter been a hoss-trainer, Mr, 
Bob,^^ said Mrs, Wiggs, admiringly, 
when the deed was accomplished; ^^yer 
voice jes makes folks do things 

^^Not everybody, Mrs, Wiggs, he 
said grimly. 

Where do you suppose Billy ^s went 
198 


/lustralia^s Mishap 


with the turkentine? I declare that boy 
would be a ^ood one to send after 
trouble! Oh^ you ain^t ^oin^ to try an^ 
wear it this away?^^ she said^ as Red- 
ding insisted on putting on his coat. 

As he turned to the door, a light hand 
touched his arm. Lucy unfastened the 
violets at her belt, and timidly held 
them toward him. 

Will you takethem — to Dick?^^ she 
faltered. 

He looked at her in amazement. For 
a moment neither spoke, but her eyes 
made the silence eloquent ; they told the 
secret that her lips dared not utter. 
There are times when explanations are 
superfluous. Redding threw discretion 
to the winds, and, regardless ofWiggses 
and consequences, took the Christmas 
199 


II 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Lady^^ in his arms, and kissed away 
the year of grief and separation. 

It was not until Mrs. Wiggs saw their 
trap disappear in the twilight that she 
recovered her speech. 

Well, it certainly do beat me! she 
exclaimed, after a fruitless effort to re- 
construct her standard of propriety. 

^ve beared of ^ painters^ colic,^ but 
I never knowed it to go to the head 
before 


200 


CHAPTER XI 


THE BENEFIT DANCE 

“ Those there are whose hearts have a slope southward, 
and are open to the whole noon of Nature.” 

OTWITHSTANDING the 
fact that calamities 
seldom come singly, 
it was not until the 
Fourth of July that 
the Cabbage Patch 
was again the scene of an accident. 

Mrs. Wiggs had been hanging out 
clothes, and was turning to pick up the 
empty basket, when Billy precipitated 
himself into the yard, yelling wildly: 

201 



Mrs. VOi^^s of the Cabbage ^atch 


Chris Hazy broke his 
Mrs* Wi^^s threw up her hands in 
horror* Good lands, Billy! Whereas 
he at?^^ 

^^They Ve brin^in^ him up the rail- 
road track* 

Mrs* Wi^^s rushed into the house* 
^^Don^t let on to Miss Hazy till we ^it 
him in/^ she cautioned, snatching up a 
bundle of ra^s and a bottle of liniment* 
Pore chile! How it must hurt him! 
I U1 run down the track an^ meet^ em*^^ 
She was breathless and trembling 
from excitement as she turned the cor- 
ner at Mrs* Schultz^s* A crowd of boys 
were coming up the track, trundling a 
wheelbarrow, in which sat Chris Hazy, 
the merriest of the lot, waving a piece 
of his wooden leg in the air* 

202 





: .. ^ ' . - V». J 

^V • -< •.'?* «■ ^,.> ' ^ 

- 



& - '^'^^’MtL “ - - • cSVy^il • 

'■'t ■t.: ■lllte>’-^i 


t >■ . > 


'r >■. r-j 




'■r^ 

^>. iZ - S^-r- ' ,'-^f^ 

■■• "'■ ^T- 


-I r> I • 


r,. 4 w I . ^ ••- ■ ^ -ijt 





.4 V *» 


i ^ 





vf, ■ 

' 1 *' y^' 


A' * ^ » ' 

’-• i • ■ ': '.‘*rjte Ml 
- • i 5|^T 'Sw 

• -_■ ..- i^ S^''^--' 

■ '-XiV 


•S “ ■' I 



The benefit T)ance 


Mrs. Wi^^s turned upon Billy, 
never lied^ ma! I said he broke 
his le^/^ the boy gasped out as best he 
could for laughing, ^^an^ you never ast 
which one. Oh, boys! Git on to the 
rags an^ arniky!^^ 

Such a shout went up that Mrs. W iggs 
laughed with the rest, but only for a 
moment, for she spied Miss Hazy tot- 
tering toward them, and she hastened 
forward to relieve her anxiety. 

^Ht ^s his peg-stick she shouted. 
<< P-e-g-stick! 

This information, instead of bringing 
relief to Miss Hazy, caused a fresh 
burst of tears. She sat down on the 
track, with her apron over her face, and 
swayed backward and forward. 

DonH make much difference which 
205 


12 


Mrs* VOi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


one was/^ she sobbed; would be 
^bout as easy to ^it another sure-^nou^h 
le^ as to ^it a new wooden one. That 
las^ one cost seven dollars. I jes sewed 
an^ saved an^ scrimped to git it, an^ now 
it's — busted!" 

The boys stood around in silent sym- 
pathy, and when nobody was looking 
Chris wiped his eyes on bis coat sleeve. 
Miss Hazy's arrival had changed their 
point of view. 

Mrs. Wiggs rose to the occasion. 

Boys," she said, and her voice had 
an inspiring ring, I 'll tell you what 
let 's do! Let 's give a benefit dance 
to-night, an' buy Chris Hazy a new 
peg-stick. Every feller that 's willin' 
to help, hole up his hand." 

A dozen grimy hands were waved 
206 


The benefit T>ance 


on high, and offers of assistance came 
from all sides. Mrs. Wiggs saw that 
now was the time to utilize their en- 
thusiasm. 

I U1 go right back to the house, an^ 
git Asia to write out the tickets, an^ 
all you boys kin sell ten apiece. Miss 
Hazy, you kin come over an^ help me 
git the house ready, an^ we U1 put Chris 
to cleanin^ lamp-chimbleys.^^ 

Under this able generalship the work 
was soon under way; the boys were de- 
spatched with the tickets, and the house 
was being put straight — at least the 
parlor was. It would have required 
many days to restore order to the chaos 
that habitually existed in the house of 
Wiggs. 

^^Asia, you help me roll these here 
207 


Mrs. VDig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


barrels out on the porch, an^ I ^11 mop 
up the floor/^ said Mrs. Wiggs. Miss 
Hazy, you look round in the kitchen, 
an^ see if you can^t find a taller candle. 
Seems like I put one in the sugar-bowl 
— that ^s it! Now, if you Ml jes cut it 
up right fine it Ml be all ready to put 
on the floor when I git done.^^ 

When the floor was dry and the can- 
dle sprinkled over it, Australia and Eu- 
ropena were detailed to slide upon it 
until it became slick. 

Would you ast everybody to bring 
a cheer, or would you have ^em already 
here?^^ asked Mrs. Wiggs. 

^^Oh, le^ ^s bring/em ourselves in- 
sisted Asia, who had been to a church 
social. 

So a raid was made on the neighbor- 
208 






The benefit T>ance 


hood, and every available chair bor- 
rowed and ranged against the parlor 
walL 

By noon the boys reported most of 
the tickets sold, and Mrs* Wiggs re- 
ceived the funds, which amounted to 
six dollars* 

It being a holiday, everybody was 
glad to come to the dance, especially as 
the proceeds were to help little Miss 
Hazy* 

At one time there threatened to be 
trouble about the music; some wanted 
Uncle Tom, the old negro who usually 
fiddled at the dances, and others pre- 
ferred to patronize home talent and 
have Jake Schultz, whose accordion 
could be heard at all hours in the Cab- 
bage Patch* 

21 1 


Mrs. ZViggs of the Cabbage Thatch 


Mrs. Wi^gs effected a compromise. 
^^They kin take turn about/^ she ar- 
gued; ^^when one gits tired^ the other 
kin pick up right where he left off, an^ 
the young folks kin shake their feet till 
they shoes drop off. Uncle Tom an^ 
Jake, too, is a heap sight better than 
them mud-gutter bands that play round 
the streets.^^ 

^^Wisht we could fix the yard up 
some,^^ said Asia, when there was no- 
thing more to be done in the parlor. 

I got a Japanee lantern, suggested 
Miss Hazy, doubtfully. 

The very thing ! said Mrs. Wiggs. 
^^We U1 hang it in the front door. 
Billy 's makin^ a Jack-o^-lantern to set 
on the fence. Per the land^s sake! 
what ^s John Bagby a-bringin^ in here?^^ 
212 


The benefit T)ance 


The grocery boy, staggering under 
the weight of an ice-cream freezer and 
carrying something wrapped in white 
paper, came up the path. 

^^It ^s fer you,^^ he said, grinning 
broadly. John was cross-eyed, so Miss 
Hazy thought he looked at Mrs. Wiggs, 
and Mrs. Wiggs thought he looked at 
Miss Hazy. 

However, the card on the freezer 
dispelled all doubt: 

‘^Fer mrs Wiggs on her 50 Birthday 
compelments of The Naybors.^^ 

Under the white paper was a large, 
white-iced cake, with a ^^W^^ in cinna- 
mon drops on top. 

How M they ever know it was my 
213 


Mrs. XlOiggs of the Cabbage ^atch 


birthday? exclaimed Mrs. Wi^^s^ in 
delight. Why, I M even fergot it my- 
self! We U1 have the cake fer the party 
to-night. Somehow, I never feel like 
good things b^ong to me till I pass ^em 
on to somebody else.^^ 

This necessitated a supply of saucers 
and spoons, and friends were again 
called upon to provide as many as pos- 
sible. 

The Wiggses were quite busy until 
seven o^clock, when they stopped to 
make their toilets. 

Where ^s Europena?^^ asked Asia. 

Nobody had seen her for some time. 
Search was made, and she was discov- 
ered standing on a chair in a corner 
of the parlor, calmly eating the cinna- 
mon drops off the birthday cake. Fin- 
214 



r 







The benefit T>ance 


gers and mouth were crimson^ and the 
first stroke of the was missing, 

Billy was so indignant that he insisted 
on immediate punishment, 

^^No, I ainH a-goin^ to whip her on 
my birthday, Billy, She ^s sorry; she 
says she is. Besides, the cake ainH 
spoiled; it ^s jes a^ ^ N ^ now, ^stid of a 
an^ N stands fer Nancy jes as 
good as W stands fer Wiggs!^^ 

The first guest to arrive was Mr, 
Krasmier ; he had paid ten cents toward 
the refreshments, and proposed to get 
his money^s worth, Mrs, Eichorn came 
early, too, but for a different reason: 
she was very stout, and her happiness 
for the evening depended largely upon 
the size of the chair she secured. 

Half the spectators bad arrived be- 
217 


Mrs* ZSOig^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


fore the hostess appeared. Her delay 
was caused by the loss of her false 
curls^ which she bad not worn since the 
memorable ni^ht at the Opera House. 
They were very black and very frizzed, 
and had been bought at a reduced price 
from a traveling salesman some ten 
years before. Mrs. Wiggs considered 
them absolutely necessary to her toilet 
on state occasions. Hence consterna- 
tion prevailed when they could not be 
found. Drawers were upset and boxes 
emptied, but with no success. 

When hope was about abandoned, 
Asia suddenly darted out to the shed 
where the children kept their play- 
things. When she returned she trium- 
phantly displayed a battered doll, arm- 
less and footless, but with a magnificent 
crowning glory of black, frizzed hair. 

218 







C-r . 


r/;. ~ 




.1^'-. ■ 







1 . \t • ; T 

^1 »^ii * ' n» ^ . '-^j^B 

»_4 S* i* * -; .4 


■E* * 


Vj^- 



".!v**tr.-. I' ^i-il 

-*!> :’ /Lii 


A 


'5 

,vf :m‘^ '^■.’ 

< ’•• • . 


« 5 *»* 


• I » 

r i v: 


« • 








r - 


I 


-r ^ 

•4 




t 


-.. , Viiipp" 

- • *< »fc"» * 

« '# S. ■*'• ■ J ■ •■ ’W 


ih 


•) 


♦ 

1 V 




• ' r 'V’ .v 


A 




• ►r' 



■ 'J :■’. - ’ ’ V, --'' -^‘“ V' • ■ 

i»n • -’. ^^^ T-' ’AV«» •;'••■■■ 



»**A 







The benefit T)ance 


Mrs. Wi^^s waited until all the guests 
assembled before she made her speech 
of thanks for the cake and cream. It 
was a very fine speech ^ having been 
written out beforehand by Mr. Bagby. 
It began, Ladies and gents, it gives 
me pleasure — but before Mrs. Wiggs 
got half through she forgot it, and had 
to tell them in her own way how grate- 
ful she was. In conclusion she said: 

Could n^t nobody be more obliged than 
what I am ! Looks like nice things is 
always comin^ my way. Hope God U1 
bless you all ! The musicianers have 
come, so we U1 begin the party with a 
Virginer reel.^^ 

The young people scampered to their 
places, and when Mr. Eichorn made a 
bow to Mrs. Wiggs she laughingly took 
her place at the head of the line, and 
219 


Mrs. ZSOi^gs of the Cabbage Thatch 


at the first strains of Old Dan T ucker 
she went down the middle with a ^race 
and spirit that flatly contradicted the 
little red 50 on the birthday cake. 


Swing yer pahtners, balance all, 

Swing dat gal wid a waterfall. 

Skip light, ladies, de cake all dough ; 

Nebber min^ de weather, so de win^ don’t blow.” 


Old Uncle Tom was warming up to 
bis work, and the fun waxed furious. 
Asia, looking very pretty in her new 
crepon,cast shy glances at Joe Eichorn, 
who had been keeping company of 
late. Billy, for whom there was no 
room in the reel, let off his energy in 
the corner by a noisy execution of the 
Mobile Buck.^^ Australia and Euro- 
pena sat in the window with Chris 
220 


The benefit T)ance 


Hazy and delightedly clapped time to 
the music. 

When the dance ended, Mrs. Wiggs 
went to the door to get cool. She was 
completely out of breath, and her false ' 
front had worked its way down over 
her eyebrows. 

^^Look — comin^, ma!^^ called Billy. 

When Mrs. Wiggs saw who it was 
she hastened down to the gate. 

Howdy, Mr. Bob; howdy. Miss 
Lucy ! CanH you git right out an^ come 
in? We Ve havin^ a birthday party 
an^ a benefit dance fer Chris Hazy^s 
leg.” 

^^No, thanks, said Redding, trying 
in vain not to look at Mrs. Wiggs^s 
head. We just stopped by to tell you 
the good news.^^ 


223 


Mrs. VDi^^s of the Cabbage Thatch 


^^^Bout Asians position?^^ asked Mrs. 
Wiggs, eagerly. 

Y es, about that, and something else 
besides. What would you say if I told 
you that I was going to marry the 
prettiest, sweetest, dearest girl in the 
world 

^^Wby, that ^s Miss Lucy!^^ gasped 
Mrs. Wiggs, more breathless than ever. 
Then the truth flashed upon her, and 
she laughed with them. 

^^Oh, sure ^nough ! Sure ^nough ! 
I ^m jes pleased to death ! She did 
not have to tell them; her eyes, though 
suffering a partial eclipse, fairly beamed 
with joy and satisfaction. ^^An^ so,^^ 
she added, ^Mt was n^t the paint, after 
all!^^ 

When they had driven away, she lin- 
224 


The benefit T)ance 


^ered a moment at the ^ate. Music 
and laughter came from the house be- 
hind her, as she stood smiling out across 
the moonlit Cabbage Patch. Her face 
still held the reflected happiness of the 
departed lovers, as the sky holds the 
rose-tints after the sun has gone. 

^^An^ they Ve goin^ to git married,^^ 
she whispered softly to herself; ^^an^ 
Billy ^s got promoted, an^ Asia ^s got 
a place, an^ Chris U1 have a new peg- 
stick. Looks like everything in the 
world comes right, if we jes wait long 
enough ! 


225 






I 



A < 



\ 









